Set Sail for the Book of the Banned!

Sixteen enthusiastic readers participated in the Third Annual Banned Book Reading at the Chez Marche Cafe on Thursday, October 4th. Several individuals shared excerpts from banned books they had enjoyed and Kris Hendrickson shared her own dramatic interpretation of the "Damn Spot" scene from Shakespeare's Macbeth. We talked about the reasons the books listed by the American Library Association had been challenged and we all agreed that if each book that was objectionable were to be removed from library shelves, there would be very little left.

I believe we live in the greatest country in the world, made great by the freedoms we enjoy. The Public Library System ensures that each individual has access to information . We celebrate our freedom to read and our First Amendment Rights every year during Banned Books Week. A librarian has the responsibility to select materials that offer a broad variety of viewpoints. I guarantee that any individual will find something on our shelves that is contrary to his/her beliefs. At the same time they will be able to locate materials that support their beliefs. I guess that means we are doing our job.