What Banned Book Displays Must Have via Book Riot

Banned Books Week began yesterday. You can go here for the official ALA page for the week and also here to see every post I have ever had for Banned Books Week including information about the FREE Banned Books Week Live Literary Festival being run by EveryLibrary for which I am moderating 2 of the interviews today and 1 tomorrow. 

I know most of you have put up a Banned Books Display already. Maybe you used the list compiled by ALA each year of the most challenged books.

But here's the thing, many libraries still see this week as a way to "celebrate" banned books. Over the last four years however, we have all had ours eyes opened to the fact that this week is not about the specific titles that have been banned, but rather, it is about the coordinated attempt to take away the freedom to choose what we want to read for ourselves.

Everyone has a right to read or not read something (and a parent can make that choice for their child, which can stink for some kids, but it is the law). But no single person in a school district or public library has the right to limit access to titles for others. 

And here's the thing, it is not just the physical removal of titles we need to talk about here. Moving titles from a youth section to adult is also a problem.

I want to remind you all that over on Book Riot, Kelly Jensen has been covering the censorship news. in detail, for the last four years. She is one of the only journalists in our country taking this beat seriously. Click here for Book Riot's censorship coverage including her Friday roundups.

While Jensen is focused on the news and providing action steps, others on the Book Riot team have been helping round out the coverage as well.

This brings us back to my comments above about your Banned Book Week Displays. If you have it up already, good. If you don't please get it up today. But either way I need you to check them with this article, "Building Good Banned Books Displays."

Please click through and read the entire article, but at the very least look at this key part:

What a Good Banned Book Display Must Have:

All good banned book displays have an explanation of what censorship is and of the purpose of Banned Books Week. It’s not a celebration of banned books—it’s a movement to bring awareness to censorship and a celebration of our freedom of choice to read whatever we deem appropriate for ourselves. 

• What banned books are. Some people are unaware that censorship is still a problem today. Be sure to explain censorship in general and to your library specifically. 
• Be clear about why certain titles were banned so patrons can see what is being challenged. 
• Make staggering facts big and plainly visible. This is another way to bring patrons’ attention to censorship in libraries. Many folks don’t know that there were over 1,200 challenges to censor library books in 2023, or that they can see those censorship attempts by state. 
• Make the focus or purpose of your display clear. Do you want to display what percentage of authors banned are people of color? How many are LGBTQ+ members? Do you want people to understand the increase in challenges in the US overall? Do you want to inform them about the titles most recently challenged? Or, all the legislation around book censorship in the last year? Whatever it is, choose one. Make the focus clear so there’s no doubt about what the display is illustrating. 
• Consider your audience. You know your community. Who is in it, who is missing, who would benefit from this information, and who already knows it. You can build the most creative, most awe-inspiring display in the history of libraries, but if no one who sees it understands the point, then the whole exercise was for naught. Don’t just think about what makes you, the builder, most incensed, but think about what will make the biggest impact for your demographic as well. 

There is more at this link, including something about interactive displays (see I am not the only one). But please, make sure your displays are more than just some books that have been banned, and especially make sure you don't just have classics. Use this week as a chance to reach the most people and make the "staggering" facts clear to all. The fact that it is also Library Card Sign-Up Month means you might even have some brand new patrons to reach.

I know this is more work. I know many of you got your displays up late last week or over this past weekend and are coming in today thinking you are on top of it, already moving on to the next thing, but if your display does not follow the basic advice above, please, I need you to make adjustments. This fight is too important for us to not do our part. The media will be covering the issue all week. People will be asking questions. You can be ready to answer them with better displays.