Author Lauren Myracle for Banned Book Week

More from the Banned Book Week YouTube Channel.

Banned Book Week: Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2010

For the previous year, 348 challenges were reported to the Office for Intellectual Freedom.  Based on that information, the most challenged books of 2010 were:

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.  Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.  Reasons: offensive language, racism, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence.
3. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley.  Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, and sexually explicit.
4. Crank, by Ellen Hopkins.  Reasons: drugs, offensive language, and sexually explicit.

5. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.  Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence.
6. Lush, by Natasha Friend.  Reasons: drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group.
7. What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones.  Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group. 
8. Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich.  Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, and religious viewpoint. 
9. Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie.  Reasons: homosexuality and sexually explicit. 
10. Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer.  Reasons: religious viewpoint and violence.

Source: American Library Association

Author Judy Blume for Banned Book Week

More from the Banned Book Week YouTube Channel.

Banned Book Week: Numbers by the Book

Each year, the American Library Associations's Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list of the top ten most frequently challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools. The number of challenges are only those that have been reported directly.  The Office of Intellectual Freedom estimates that for each reported challenged, many go un-reported. 

Statistical Information from 2001 to 2010:

"Over the past ten years, American libraries were faced with 4,660 challenges.

• 1,536 challenges due to “sexually explicit” material;
• 1,231 challenges due to “offensive language”;
• 977 challenges due to material deemed “unsuited to age group”;
• 553 challenges due to “violence”
• 370 challenges due to “homosexuality”; and
• Further, 121 materials were challenged because they were “anti-family,” and an additional 304 were challenged because of their “religious viewpoints.”

1,720 of these challenges (approximately 37%) were in classrooms; 30% (or1,432) were in school libraries; 24% (or 1,119) took place in public libraries. There were 32 challenges to college classes; and 106 to academic libraries. There are isolated cases of challenges to materials made available in or by prisons, special libraries, community groups, and student groups. The majority of challenges were initiated by parents (almost exactly 48%), while patrons and administrators followed behind (10% each)." ~From the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom.

Banned Book Week: Challenges vs. Banning

Banned Book Week (BBW) 2011

What is the difference between a challenge and a banning?

According to the American Library Association:

"A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.  A banning is the removal of those materials.  Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.  Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection." ~American Library Association's About Banned & Challenged Books

Looking to learn more on Banned Books Week?  These resources will be helpful:

• American Library Association's Banned Book Week Website: Full information on Banned Book Week and the history of the event. 
• More on the differences between a Challenge and a Banned Book
• More Terms & Definitions relating to Banned Book Week

Banned Book Week YouTube Channel

Banned Book Week has a Virtual Read Out YouTube channel featuring videos from the authors of books that have been challenged or banned.  The channel also allows the public to contribute clips of their own readings of challenged or banned materials.  Check it out!

Banned Book Week: Most Frequently Challenged Books

Accompanying all of the Banned Book Week displays is a list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged and Banned Books from 2000-2010.  Pick up a handout from one of the three locations to figure out how many banned and challenged books you've read. 

You may be surprised by the number of titles you have already read!

Banned Book Week Displays

To celebrate Banned Book Week, there are several displays throughout the library.  Stop by to view some of the most recently challenged titles and check one out.

The East Lobby display cases are full of titles and the West Lobby has a large display of titles that have been challenged or banned.

Feel free to remove the covers from titles to see which have been challenged or banned.

Check out the Banned Book Week section in the New Books area.  Pick up a handout to see which of the most frequently challenged and banned books you have read.

Banned Book Week 2011

Hewes Library is pleased to highlight Banned Book Week 2011!  There are several displays throughout the main floor of Hewes Library.  Stop by to pick up a Banned Book or take a list of frequently challenged titles with you for future reading. 

What is Banned Book Week?  The American Library Association says:

"Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.

The books featured during Banned Books Week have been targets of attempted bannings. Fortunately, while some books were banned or restricted, in a majority of cases the books were not banned, all thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members of the community to retain the books in the library collections. Imagine how many more books might be challenged—and possibly banned or restricted—if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society.


Part of the Banned Book Week display in the Main Lobby.

Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. In 2011, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund; National Coalition Against Censorship; National Council of Teachers of English; and PEN American Center also signed on as sponsors." ~American Library Association, Freedom To Read

New Database! Advertising Age & Marketing Industry News

Hewes Library has access to a new resource, Ad Age: Advertising Age & Marketing Industry News.  The new database contains access to the lastest in the marketing field as well as a DataCenter of additional information and back issues.  You can find Ad Age listed under the Find tab of the library's website until Databases: Find Articles.

Access is limited to students, staff, and faculty of Monmouth College.