Banned Book Clubs On The Rise

 BREWSTER – Though censorship is not a new phenomenon, challenges to literary works across the country have risen over the last few years. 

 Between 2022 and 2023, the number of books that were targeted rose 65 percent, according to the American Library Association. Forty-seven percent of those titles represented minority communities including LGBTQ and Black, Indigenous and People of Color. 

 Preliminary data for 2024 shows a decline in reports, but the ALA cites a rise in documented attempts to censor books since 2020. Before that, most book challenges were initiated by a parent or guardian who sought to restrict their child’s access to a particular title. Recent data suggests a growing number of challenges were initiated from the conservative political movement, with the intention of “removing books about race, history, gender identity, sexuality and reproductive health from America's public and school libraries that do not meet their approval,” according to the ALA. 

 On Jan. 24, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced the dismissal of book ban complaints, calling them a hoax. Officials rescinded all guidance related to complaints that book removals in school libraries violate civil rights laws. 

 With a new administration in the White House, libraries around the country are bracing for conflict. 

 The Brewster Ladies’ Library (BLL) started a Banned Book Club in 2022 as a response to the increase in book bans and challenges in 2021. Former Assistant Director and Youth Services Librarian Nori Morganstein created the club with the intention of choosing a title that had faced widespread criticism every month for members to read and discuss. 

 Over the last two years the club has gone through a number of iterations. It was adopted by Nika Scott, the assistant youth services librarian, in January. Last month, club members were tasked with reading “The Giver,” which has faced widespread criticism and multiple banning attempts across the country. 

 “‘The Giver’s’ social critique has resulted in controversy and multiple attempts to ban it from schools,” according to the Banned Books Project. “[Author Lois] Lowry includes mentions of sex, infanticide, suicide, starvation and euthanasia in order to show the power of the book’s main themes of suffering and individuality.”

 Previously the BLL read “The Catcher in the Rye,” “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret," "Stamped From The Beginning,” and this month, “Fahrenheit 451.”

 “I think it is wonderful to raise awareness of this topic as it is an ongoing issue within our country’s communities,” said Scott. 

 Other libraries in the area have also developed programming surrounding this theme. Eldredge Public Library in Chatham has a challenged/banned book discussion group that meets monthly. Most recently, the group met in February to discuss “Too Bright to See” by Kyle Lukoff. 

 Snow Library in Orleans has a general monthly book club that varies topics based on monthly group consensus. They have focused on banned books and DEI themes in the past. 

 “Like many other libraries, the BLL felt and still feels that it's incredibly important to protect the freedom to read, and reading these materials also gives attendees an opportunity to more deeply unravel reasons behind challenges and bans, gain a more comprehensive understanding of the titles themselves, and engage with their peers on this topic,” said Brittany Taylor, BLL’s library director.