How to Talk About Book Bans

I have talked about using Boor Riot's censorship coverage as a resource many times. Once again, here is that direct link. But specifically, there is always a huge round up of everything you need to know every Friday.

Kelly Jensen (for full transparency, she is also the Sumemr Scares YA expert) who manages the censorship coverage does more than just give you all the (mostly bad) news, she is also actively engaged in responding to the library workers who contact her to create content that they can use in the fight against those who want to limit our intellectual Freedom. 

Back on the 17th, she had this excellent post giving you step by step instructions on how to talk to people about book bans. She has a section on talking to your friends and family-- people you know-- and a section on how to talk to your patrons. You can get direct access to it here.

Please bookmark this page. This is one of the most common questions I get as well. How do we talk about book bans to those who are shocked to see what is happening all over the country and don't really understand what is happening. There is also a lot of misinformation that our supporters believe-- such as-- if they ban it, that will increase interest and sales. This has been disproven from a sale standpoint, but even more dangerous is the thought that if a book is banned more kids will want to  read it. Without access at school and public libraries, most kids will NEVER see those books, let alone read them. And the majority of challenged materials feature Black and/or LGBTQ characters. The banners are trying to erase their experiences. For children and young adults to not be able to access books that validate their experiences or those of their families is atrocious.

I have no illusions that this topic is difficult and complicated to talk about, but I promise you, this post is easy for you to follow. Let this post do the work for you. Everything is arranged in easy to digest bullet points. Keep it bookmarked for when you need it, but also to practice using these talking points on patrons, your friends, and family. Get comfortable arguing for intellectual freedom everywhere you go, not just in library situations or when it comes up. This is a topic that can and should be brought up anywhere and at anytime. we are way behind our organized opposition at communicating the basics.

In fact, I would like end today's post with a Call to Action: Commit to using these talking points at least once a day. You can start with your family and best friends, then move on to talking with each other at work in full ear shot of patrons, and finally engage a patron and encourage them to become a supporter. Just start talking out loud about book bans, even without being asked for your opinion.