Banned Books: Q&A on how books get banned

Sylvia Cochran
Yahoo! News
Fri Sep 24, 2:34 pm ET

The American Library Association (ALA) is gearing up for this year's Banned Books Week -- Sept. 25 through Oct. 2. Here are some key facts on challenged and banned books.

What is the difference between a challenge and a ban?

Library patrons may challenge the easy accessibility of a book by minors if they believes the material is singularly unsuitable for them. The goal of a challenge is to restrict the access to material. A ban of the book results in the reading material being removed from the shelves. Generally speaking, a ban usually results from a successful challenge.

Who challenges library books?

Of the 10,676 challenges -- spanning the period between 1990 to 2009 -- that the ALA has on record, 6,010 were issued by parents, 1,407 by library patrons, 1,034 by administrators and the remainder by a number of other groups.

Why are books challenged or asked to be banned?

The majority of requests stems from concerns over sexually explicit material, followed by graphic depictions of violence or occult practices. Other reasons for challenges include inaccurate content, racism, sexism and unsuitability for the age groups that the books target.

What books have been challenged recently?

It's noteworthy that between 2009 and 2010 there were only three instances of bans, all of which took place in schools upon the request of parents or teachers. Recent examples of challenged books, according to the ALA, include "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (Maya Angelou), "Joy of Sex" (Alex Comfort), "A Prayer for Owen Meany" (John Irving) and the "Twilight" series (Stephenie Meyer).

What happens when a book is challenged?

The book remains on the shelf and in circulation while the challenge is reviewed. A reconsideration committee that is made up of library-user representatives and the librarian reviews the disputed material, its initial selection criteria and expert input. The committee holds a hearing and then jointly recommends a ban, retention or replacement to the library administrator.

Is there an appeals process?

If the committee fails to recommend a book ban, or if the administrator declines to follow up on the committee's recommendation, the challenger may appeal the decision. Depending on the type of library where the challenge is brought, an appeal may be made to the school board, city council, board of trustees or board of commissioners.

What's the ALA's defense strategy?

The ALA takes a hard-line approach with respect to banning books. Rather than merely focusing on the title at hand, the organization tells librarians that they are defending a principle. As the librarian puts together a list of people who will defend the retention of the title at the library -- and oppose the challenge -- the librarian is to remind the speakers that "the actual title in question should play a secondary role. It is very difficult to disagree with the freedom to read, view and listen in a democratic society."