Next week is officially Banned Books Week at the library, but we already started setting up our display today. As I look through the reasons people cited over the years to justify censorship, I can't help but conclude that all the special snowflakes who feel offended by any literature need to shut up, or better yet, grow up and deal with their disputes like adults.
A lot of the complaints are about books that would quickly fade into obscurity and eventually get weeded out of collections if the Streisand effect of censorship weren't involved. Next time, unbunch your undies, wait out the initial craze, and it will probably go away on its own. The sooner you quit whinging, the sooner The Twilight Saga, Fifty Shades of Grey, and the like can fade into obscurity and I won't need to keep promoting them just to spite your control freak attitude.
Some books do cover very unpleasant topics , discuss sensitive issues, or advocate ideas with which I may also personally disagree. That happens in life. Deal with it. If there is a factual error, address it as such. If it is a philosophical dispute, deal with it philosophically. Be an adult. All of this hue and cry muddies the waters. Some books do advocate things that are blatantly wrong, and that may need to be addressed, but this can be done without looking like a totalitarian censor.
Some books may not be age-appropriate. That's a matter for parents to address. Our age ranges are approximate anyway. Maturity level, reading level, etc. are individual matters. Our job is to make information available without deciding who can access it or not. Fussing about Harry Potter magic is stupid. I have seen a rise in profanity and vulgarity in common conversation, but blaming books is stupid. LGBTQWTFBBQ characters are a trend in books now, and whether it's righteous inclusivity or pushing a gay agenda, demanding a ban is stupid. Streisand effect, remember?
If Huckleberry Finn or To Kill a Mockingbird triggers you, it's time for you to grow up. Literature often needs to address uncomfortable issues, and sometimes that is its purpose.
We librarians can always offer advice upon request. Ask questions instead of making demands. We are here to help, but we don't tend to take kindly to being told what to do.
[/librarian rant]
