How to Fight a Banned Book
Imagine being denied the pleasure of reading classics like "The Great Gatsby" and "Gone With the Wind" because someone else thinks they are offensive. Imagine your child prohibited from reading "Harry Potter" for the same reason. These aren't fictional scenarios. These books and many others have been banned, removed from public and school libraries or from a school's curriculum. There are literally thousands of instances of banned books all over the world. To combat banned books, the American Library Association sponsors Banned Books Week each September to spread the word and fight censorship. There are a number of steps individuals can take, too.
Instructions
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Write to the members of the board of education or board of directors if a book is banned at school, and remember to send copies of the letter to the superintendent and the principal, letting everyone know why you support the banned books.
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Attend the board of education's public meetings and voice your support for the banned books. Local journalists regularly attend these meetings and your voice of support likely will spark a newspaper article, earning support from the community or at the very least starting a public discussion.
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Attend the public meetings held by your town's governing body to speak out against censorship and support banned books. Journalists also regularly attend these meetings and are looking for an interesting story, which would help spread the word of a banned book and elicit support.
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Write or call the editors of local and regional newspapers, calmly and clearly explaining the attempt to ban a book in your town or school, and why you object to it. Include your contact information. Don't rely solely on the reporter who attends the local meetings because he may be sidetracked by a story that has a wider impact, such as a large property tax hike in the community.
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Put your money or your library card where your opinions are: Buy or check out a banned book to show your support.
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Tips & Warnings
Report attempts to ban books to the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (see Resources below).
Join the American Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Action Network. It's free.
Organize a group of like-minded individuals from your community to work together to fight the ban, writing letters and attending meetings as a group. Support can be found among librarians, writers, artists and bookshop owners.
The support of teachers and school librarians can be helpful, but they may be hesitant to buck the opinions of the school board, since the board is essentially their employer.
