Freedom to Read Week Guide

"Banned Books: Should Children Be Protected from Controversial Books?; Should Certain Kinds of Material Be Restricted?; What Are Some Alternatives to Banning Controversial Books?"-- Provided by publisher.

An eye-opening look at the invisible workers who protect us from seeing humanity's worst on today's commercial internet Social media on the internet can be a nightmarish place. A primary shield against hateful language, violent videos, and online cruelty uploaded by users is not an algorithm. It is people. Mostly invisible by design, more than 100,000 commercial content moderators evaluate posts on mainstream social media platforms: enforcing internal policies, training artificial intelligence systems, and actively screening and removing offensive material-sometimes thousands of items per day.

In these contentious times, free and unfettered access to information is more important than ever. And censorship is no longer just for books. Pekoll examines the many ways that access to information-- especially of underrepresented perspectives-- is being restricted beyond the banning of books--adapted from foreword.

Genre: Bibliography.
Description: "Spotlighting dozens of titles that have been challenged since 2015 and that are written for young children through teens, this book provides librarians the information and guidance they need to defend challenged books with an informed response"-- Provided by publisher.

Published in conjunction with the PEN American center, Burn this Book is a powerful collection of essays that explore the meaning of censorship, and the power of literature to inform the way we see the world, and ourselves. Contributors include literary heavyweights like Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, Orhan Pamuk, David Grossman and Nadine Gordimer, and others.

Introduction: justifying just judgment -- The case against censorship: Timothy Findley -- The ambivalent artist Margaret Atwood -- In defense of censorship: Margaret Laurence -- The inevitability of censorship: Beatrice Culleton and Marlene Nourbese Philip -- Conclusion: Towards a more "just" judgment.

Indigenous and decolonizing perspectives on education have long persisted alongside colonial models of education, yet too often have been subsumed within the fields of multiculturalism, critical race theory, and progressive education. Timely and compelling, Indigenous and Decolonizing Studies in Education features research, theory, and dynamic foundational readings for educators and educational researchers who are looking for possibilities beyond the limits of liberal democratic schooling.

Genre: Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Description: An essential reference for librarians seeking information and guidance in applying the principles of intellectual freedom in library service. It covers current ALA intellectual freedom polices and guidelines; includes essays on the issues, principles, and law; and provides practical help for librarians and trustees.

Journalists are being imprisoned and killed in record numbers. Online surveillance is annihilating privacy, and the Internet can be brought under government control at any time. Joel Simon, the executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, warns that we can no longer assume that our global information ecosystem is stable, protected, and robust. Journalists are increasingly vulnerable to attack by authoritarian governments, militants, criminals, and terrorists, who all seek to use technology, political pressure, and violence to set the global information agenda.

"An eminent sociologist--and coauthor, with Aziz Ansari, of the #1 New York Times bestseller Modern Romance--makes the provocative case that the future of democratic societies rests not only on shared values but also on shared "social infrastructure": the libraries, childcare centers, bookstores, coffee shops, pools, and parks that promote crucial, sometimes life-saving connections between people who might otherwise fail to find common cause"-- Provided by publisher.

In his 2015 cover story for Toronto Life magazine, Desmond Cole exposed the racist actions of the Toronto police force, detailing the dozens of times he had been stopped and interrogated under the controversial practice of carding. The story quickly came to national prominence, shaking the country to its core and catapulting its author into the public sphere. Cole used his newfound profile to draw insistent, unyielding attention to the injustices faced by Black Canadians on a daily basis. Both Cole’s activism and journalism find vibrant expression in his first book, The Skin We’re In. Puncturing the bubble of Canadian smugness and naive assumptions of a post-racial nation, Cole chronicles just one year—2017—in the struggle against racism in this country. It was a year that saw calls for tighter borders when Black refugees braved frigid temperatures to cross into Manitoba from the States, Indigenous land and water protectors resisting the celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, police across the country rallying around an officer accused of murder, and more.

As standard-bearers for intellectual freedom, school and children's librarians are in ideal positions to collaborate with educators to not only protect the freedom to read but also ensure that valued books which touch upon important topics are not quarantined from the readers for whom they were written. Scales shows that there is a way to teach these books while respecting all views. This second edition spotlights titles dealing with sensitive but vital issues such as bullying, racism, bigotry, making tough choices, other cultures, and our uncertain future. It includes titles for older readers, and is updated to include genres such as graphic novels and nonfiction. -- adapted from Preface

"Focusing on the attempted and successful banning of young adult fiction from media centers and classrooms. It also looks closely at young adult novels from the early 1970s until today that have been the subject of book challenges"-- Provided by publisher.

Thirteen leading authors of books for young people speak out about the experience of having their work challenged or banned in the United States today. In interviews is Marcus, they reflect on the nature of freedom of expression, the impact of censorship, and the support network that has grown up to defend against attempts to limit those rights. Readers will grasp more fully what is at stake when freedom of expression comes under threat, and of the history that lies behind contemporary First Amendment challenges.