{"id":1452,"date":"2023-03-28T12:35:53","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T16:35:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/scholar-speak\/?p=1452"},"modified":"2023-03-28T12:51:20","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T16:51:20","slug":"unt-libraries-combat-national-book-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/scholar-speak\/2023\/03\/28\/unt-libraries-combat-national-book-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"UNT Libraries Combat National Book Ban Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Written by: Zo\u00eb (Abbie) Teel <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interior of a Bookstore<\/a> by Sena Kazak<\/a> and licensed under Pexels<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Academic libraries have been a target of the national book ban crisis. There has been a proliferation of books that have been subjected to censorship in the last few years, especially books that deal with imperative topics such as gender identity, race, abortion, and sexuality. Books authored by individuals who are BIPOC (black, Indigenous, and people of color) are heavily under attack and face unfair, unjust scrutiny. Particularly, in the state of Texas, school libraries have faced many challenges regarding the works within their institutions: \u201cTexas banned more books from school libraries this past year than any other state in the nation, targeting titles centering on race, racism, abortion, and LGBTQ representation and issues, according to a new analysis by PEN America, a nonprofit organization advocating for free speech\u201d (Lopez, 2022). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what is the big deal? Students are losing access to literature that grapples with topics they may be struggling with in their own lives. Having a piece of literature that allows students to explore and navigate the thoughts, feelings, and emotions they are experiencing, through characters and authors, gives them comfort and a safe space. Libraries are supposed to be the home of information; a place that demolishes barriers and welcomes knowledge. Academic libraries are the embodiment of intellectual freedom. Questioning why things are the way they are is at the heart of education. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Books face removal because they are considered potentially dangerous by individuals who feel a misguided sense of moral obligation, as we have seen especially here in Texas. However, lawmakers seem to disagree. \u201c[Rep. Matt] Krause, a member of the hardline conservative Texas House Freedom Caucus who is also running for state attorney general, included in his inquiry a roughly 850-book list that included novels about racism and sexuality and asked the districts to identify which of those books were available on school campuses\u201d (Pollock, 2021). It is important to note, that many of the lawmakers who are trying to restrict access to books, and moreover, restrict freedom of thought, have never worked with the education system or academia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The American Library Association released the \u201cTop 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021.\u201d These ten titles \u201care only a snapshot of book challenges,\u201d meaning that these are only a handful of the works that the Office for Intellectual Freedom have deemed \u201cthe most challenged.\u201d (ALA, 2021). According to the ALA (2021), these titles included: <\/p>\n\n\n\n