CENSORSHIP: yesterday

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Dear PBS Proposal Committee ATTN Rich
Gazan Thank you for considering our documentary
proposal. We are deeply concerned about
addressing the misconceptions people have
regarding library selection and collection
policies relating to censorship in libraries
across the country. We feel that this is a
deeply troubling issue that needs immediate
attention in the media. Enclosed please find a
storyboard for our proposed documentary
addressing these concerns. We look forward to
hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Marla, Mysti,
Lori and Linda
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A documentary proposal storyboard

• Censorship
• A presentation by Marla Soroka, Mysti LePage,
  Lori Kidani and Linda Sakai

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Censorship through the ages
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yesterdaysbook burnings
(A reenactment of the burning of the Library of
Alexandria)
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• Shortly after the invention of the printing
  press, c1480, the Archbishop of Mainz organized
  the first censorship body to ban books translated
  into the vernacular from other languages

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1500s
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1700s
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1940s
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today
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todaysbook burnings
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• Has anything changed?

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Misconception
All library selection and collection policies are
the same they are mandated by the American
Library Association (ALA)
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Reality
Selection and collection policies cannot be the
same in every library they are affected by many
different factors.
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Survivor The Books
Which books will survive selection and collection
policies and stay on the library shelf? Which
will be voted off the shelf?
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Library Policy vs. Censorship

• Whats on Paper
• ALA Library Bill of Rights Access to ALL
  information for EVERYONE

• What Really Happens
• Self censorship
• Challenges/bans
• Filters
• Other influences

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Which book will survive the challenge?
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Challenge 1 Self Censorship

• What Really Happens
• "a personally imposed limitation designed to
  avoid confrontations (McKee 1977)
• "a secret practice that is the least obvious
  but arguably most powerful and pervasive form of
  censorship which is informal, private, and
  originates with the decision maker" (Dillon and
  Williams 1994)

• Whats on Paper
• Access to ALL information for EVERYONE

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ALA Librarian Self Censorship

• This book is YA realistic fiction. Looks a
  little hard-hitting and deals with some sexual
  issues. It will probably cause some trouble with
  some parents. But I think the way the main
  character shows responsibility and confidence
  will be a good role model for students. Ill
  get it.

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School Librarian Self Censorship
This book seems to have quite a few
controversial issues in it. I like the way the
main character acts, she shows some real
maturity. But she is also a bit promiscuous and
there
are some parents who would object loudly. I
dont want trouble. No, I dont think Ill order
it.
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Voted off the shelf bySelf Censorship
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Challenge 2Outside Influences

• Whats on Paper
• Access to ALL information for EVERYONE

• What Really Happens
• Books/materials are taken out of the collection

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Challenges (by Type) 2002-3
Unsuited to age 19
Sexuality 24
Bad language 31
Office of Intellectual Freedom Database
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Challenges by Initiator
Parents 63
Office of Intellectual Freedom Database
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Challenges by Institution
School 39
School Library 40
Office of Intellectual Freedom Database
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ALA Librarian Scary Stories
The letter I received from the Family Friendly
Libraries (FFL) yesterday is bothering me. They
are challenging Scary Stories again. It is one
of the kids favorites! The Board of Trustees
always votes to keep it when its challenged

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One Fo Real Librarian Scary Stories
Aue! Family Friendly Libraries (FFL) stay
trying for censor books again. They like take
Scary Stories off da shelf. Da kids love this
book! Sheez, my boss say it have to go cause it
causing too much trouble, so
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Voted off the shelfbyPressure Groups
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Challenge 3 Administration

• Whats on Paper
• Access to ALL information for EVERYONE

• What Really Happens
• Pressure from Board of Trustees or School
  Administrators to remove materials

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Freedom to Read
Bless me, Ultima was removed from the curriculum
of a Colorado school after parents complained.
(Colorado 2005)
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• The superintendent let parents burn the two dozen
  copies of the book that were removed.
• I feel it is my obligation to read it and see
  what our superintendent found so dangerous that
  it must be destroyed.
• --Christian Skyler Kelley, a junior at Norwood
  High School.

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Voted off the shelfbyAdministration
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Challenge 4 Parents

• Whats on Paper
• Access to ALL information for EVERYONE

• What Really Happens
• Pressure from parents to remove materials

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Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Numerous Awards won

• Janusz Korczak Medal (Poland) 1981
• Silver Pencil Award (Netherlands) 1981
• Newbery Medal 1978
• ALA Notable Children's Books 1977
• School Library Journal Best Book of 1977
• Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, 1978
• Le Grand Prix des Jeunes Lecturs (France), 1986
• 1986 Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award

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Childrens imagination
Imagination is an early indication that children
have a theory of mind, that is the ability to
understand mental states in other people.
Dr. Alan Leslie, professor of psychology and
director of the Cognitive Development Laboratory
at Rutgers University
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Childrens imagination
Children who engage in imaginative play show a
richer, more varied vocabulary, and an
increased ability to show empathy for others
Dr. Jerome Singer, a professor of psychology at
Yale University and one of the pioneers in the
study of imagination
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Voted off the shelf byParents
Censored for obscenity and showing an elaborate
fantasy world that might lead to confusion
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Challenge 5 Filters

• Whats on Paper
• Access to ALL information for Everyone

• What Really Happens
• Internet filters

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• Filters blocked the answers librarians were
  seeking 35 of the time (Minow, 1997)
• Filters used in Utah public schools were blocking
  access to "the Declaration of Independence, the
  U.S. Constitution, and a wide variety of
  literature taught in most public schools"
  (Horowitz, 2000)

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• U.S. Supreme Court ruled that filtering was not
  censorship as long as the filters could be easily
  disabled when requested.
• (United States v. The American Library
  Association, 2003)

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Filtered off the shelf
One of the titles blocked by internet filters
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Challenge 6 Politics

• Whats on Paper
• Access to ALL information for EVERYONE

• What Really Happens
• CIPA
• Oklahoma
• Alabama
• North Carolina

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Alabama

• Representative Gerald Allen wants to ban all
  materials written by or about homosexuals in
  order to protect children

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North Carolina

• Representative Walter Jones wants to establish
  parent advisory boards that would oversee the
  selection of library materials

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Oklahoma

• Libraries in Oklahoma (by law) must
• confine homosexually themed books and other
  age-inappropriate material to areas exclusively
  for adult access and distribution."

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Voted off the shelfbyPoliticians
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Challenge 7 Budget Considerations

• Whats on Paper
• Access to ALL information for EVERYONE

• What Really Happens
• Not all libraries can own every piece of
  information out there

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University of Hawaiis Hamilton Library The
largest research library in the Pacific
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Hit with a budget cut of more than 500,000 in
Spring 2004
Each humanities journal 200-300/year Each
science journal 4,000-25,000/year
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Voted off the shelfbecause of Budget Constraints

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Challenge 8 Religious Concerns

• Whats on Paper
• Access to ALL information for EVERYONE

• What Really Happens
• Religious groups influence book removal

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J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter Series
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Why some would ban this book

• magic and wizardry is presented in a world with
  no divine presence or moral order
• wizardry and witchcraft is too potent to serve as
  a positive example
• wizardry is presented as dangerous and repulsive

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• The Cedarville School District last year removed
  the Harry Potter books from general
  circulation, requiring students to obtain a
  parent's permission before they could check them
  out.
• The school board claimed that tales of wizards
  and spells would harm school children. (Arkansas
  2003)

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Voted off the shelf because ofReligious Concerns
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Misconception

• All library selection and collection policies are
  the same they are mandated by the ALA

Reality
Selection and collection policies cannot be the
same in every library they are affected by many
different factors.
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Voted off the shelf
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(No Transcript)
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CENSORSHIPtomorrowwill we have empty shelves?
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Voted for any good books lately?
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Thank you for your attention and time. Feel free
to contact us at your convenience. We will be
available for 30 seconds after this presentation
for your interesting questions and comments.
M2 L2 Productions, Inc. 123 Kokua Nui Loa
St. Honolulu, HI 96800 [phone]