Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights.

Banned Books Week 2025—Oct. 5-11

A letter from Julianne Smith, Assistant Director

If, like librarians, you follow censorship attempts, there are always trends that follow the arc of a society experiencing change. Common reasons for  challenges over the years include buzzwords like “smut,” “Communism,” “race,” and the current trends of “gender,” “diversity,” and “social justice.”

One of my favorite challenges—a complete moment in time—targeted the 1970 picture book Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by Caldecott-award-winning author William Steig. Sylvester, who was a donkey, was out collecting rocks one day when he found a magic pebble that granted wishes. As the saying goes, however, be careful what you wish for. If that sounds like a sweet story featuring talking animals, you would be correct. But in 1977, the Illinois State Police petitioned to have Sylvester and the Magic Pebble removed from libraries because the police in the book were portrayed as pigs. There were also  horses, lions, and chickens in the book, but never mind that. 1977 was rife with tensions and exhaustion over the Vietnam War, so in context— in that arc  of societal change—the challenge seems understandable (if not legitimate).

The effort to limit, cancel, ban, and restrict speech in its many forms is not a uniquely American activity, but it raises unique problems for a country whose  very Constitution safeguards the freedom of speech and expression.

The American Library Association tracks censorship attempts across the nation and documented 821 attempts across all library types in 2024. The most  common justifications were claims of “obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBTQIA characters or themes; and topics of race, racism, equity, and social  justice.” In Michigan, however, there is some good news. A March 2023 poll conducted by the public opinion and research firm EPIC-MRA confirmed a  growing statewide resistance to censorship efforts targeting library collections.

According to Dillon Geshel, Interim Executive Director of the Michigan Library Association, which commissioned the survey, “These findings point to  increased support for public libraries and the freedom to read, and sends a strong message to lawmakers, stakeholders, and library boards: Michiganders  want their libraries to remain a gateway to knowledge for all, free of censorship.”

The “gateway to knowledge for all” is the guiding principle of public libraries. It is why librarians celebrate Banned Books Week and draw public attention to  the dangers of censorship. After all, those who attempt to censor rarely want their own interests snuffed out. The vast majority of challenges over the last  few years are coming from organized pressure groups. Protecting the “freedom to read” is hardly their core mission.

Thankfully, it is ours. Librarians believe deeply in the freedom of self-determination and the right to choose what to read. Just for fun, let’s compare  censorship to a pizza. Let’s pretend that I hate pizza; I don’t like the texture, the tang of the sauce, the weird shape of the food, and I even dislike the aroma. But no matter how much I dislike pizza, I do not have the right to stop others from eating pizza, nor do I have the right to bully the local restaurant which serves pizza, and I certainly don’t have the right to restrict other people’s children from eating pizza.

In short, the public library “serves pizza” and protects the right of everyone to eat pizza as they see fit. As playwright, editor, and politician Claire Booth  Luce once said, “Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there.” That was in 1960.

Which brings me to 1984. Not the year, but the novel. (The novel was actually published in 1949.) In Orwell’s cautionary tale of totalitarianism and mass surveillance, we are reminded of the dangers of manipulating facts and violating the freedom of expression. 1984 is, indeed, very relevant today. It is thus  the perfect theme for this year’s Banned Books Week.

Our Banned Books exhibit will be on display in the YDL-Whittaker Community Room throughout October. Stop in and see what authors think of their work being challenged, learn what’s at stake when materials are challenged or banned, and post your thoughts on the feedback board. In short, celebrate your  freedom to read! We got you.