The Indiana Legislature passed a bill requiring school libraries to publicly post a list of books they offer and provide a complaints process for community members. (Adobe stock)
Libraries across Indiana are observing Banned Books Week. The observation started in the 1980s to highlight ongoing censorship efforts aimed at protecting children.
While censorship often stems from concerns for children's safety, Indiana Library Federation President Diane Rogers emphasized that libraries firmly oppose banning books.
She pointed to past examples like the censorship of Judy Blume's books in the 1980s, and the banning of Harry Potter in the 1990s, due to religious objections.
Today, she noted a growing push to ban books - with parents and administrators claiming that obscene materials are available in school and public libraries.
"It has been illegal to have obscene materials in school and public libraries since then," said Rogers, "and it isn't just for children, it's for anyone. Here recently, a lot of people have been claiming that there are obscene materials in libraries. It's just patently untrue."
Book ban proponents argue material with sexual content or themes they deem morally inappropriate should not be accessible to children.
However, Rogers countered by explaining Indiana law banned obscene materials in libraries in 1975.
Books featuring LGBTQ+ characters are often targeted, leading to accusations of viewpoint discrimination.
Rogers said some librarians face harassment and pressure to resign due to the controversy.
Despite the challenges, she said she remains optimistic that libraries will prevail in the legal battle against censorship, pointing to recent court rulings that uphold First Amendment rights.
"We are confident that we are going to win this fight against censorship," said Rogers, "but until it gets adjudicated and found by a judge to determine that it's unconstitutional, we can only look at past cases to battle that fight."
Rogers stressed the goal of Banned Books Week is to inform the public about ongoing censorship and to highlight the essential role of libraries in defending free access to information.
She called libraries "bastions of democracy," where people can explore ideas and seek truth, and underscores the importance of protecting intellectual freedom.
By Joe Ulery, Producer
Monday, September 23, 2024