Kelly is a former librarian and a long-time blogger at STACKED. She’s the editor/author of (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY: 33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH and the editor/author of HERE WE ARE: FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD. Her next book, BODY TALK, will publish in Fall 2020. Follow her on Instagram @heykellyjensen.
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As part of an ongoing series of posts to talk about preparing for increased book censorship and attacks on the public institutions of libraries and schools, this week, I’m rerunning one of the most pertinent—and, frankly, important—pieces from this year. Having signed up for and engaged on BlueSky in the last several weeks, there has been an update uptick in the number of people who 1. want to better understand the landscape of book censorship and 2. want to be able to explain it to other people who may not be tapped in. I wrote a guide for just that, and because it was published only a few months ago, it’s as up-to-date as possible.
Book bans aren’t new. That’s true both for the current wave, as well as in a broad, general sense. But the fact of the matter is every single day new people begin to learn about what’s happening, either because they have not been tuned in before, because they didn’t believe it was as bad as presented, or because they’re simply not engaged with the types of media covering the issue. Although there is a basic primer on how to fight book bans and censorship in 2024, distilled into easy-to-do, vital tasks following nearly four years of nonstop coverage of book bans, that kind of guide does not provide clear talking points for engaging in conversations about book banning with those who are unaware or completely new to the discussion.
This is that 101 guide. You can use it in conjunction with this more robust and detailed guide to the myths about book banning that keep being repeated.
Here are several talking points you can and should use with the people in your life who may otherwise not understand the complexity and seriousness of book bans happening in school and public libraries. It will not include everything, nor can it. Instead, this is meant to be for people who are eager to listen and learn but may be overwhelmed with where to even begin.
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Top Line: Why You Should Care About Book Banning
- Book banning is a form of censorship. Censorship prohibits people from exercising their First Amendment Rights, including the freedom of speech and its associated freedom to read.
- Book banning is related to the destruction of publicly-funded institutions like public schools and libraries that benefit an entire community.