[CPProt.net] More library books come under fire, survey shows

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

More library books come under fire, survey shows 

HILLEL ITALIE; The Associated Press
Published: September 4th, 2005 12:01 AM 

  
Attempts to have library books removed from shelves increased by more than
20 percent in 2004 over the previous year, according to a new survey by the
American Library Association. 
Three books with gay themes, including Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged
Bird Sings," were among the works most criticized.

"It all stems from a fearfulness of well-meaning people," says Michael
Gorman, president of the library association. "We believe in parental
responsibility, and that you should take care of what your children are
reading. But it's not your responsibility to tell a whole class of kids what
they should read."

The number of books challenged last year jumped to 547, compared with 458 in
2003, with the library association estimating four to five unreported cases
for each one documented. According to the ALA, a challenge is "a formal,
written complaint, filed with a library or school requesting that materials
be removed because of content or appropriateness."

National organizations such as the American Family Association have been
involved with library challenges, but far more complaints come from
individual parents and patrons, according to the ALA.

The ALA study was to be released in anticipation of the 25th annual Banned
Books Week, which runs Sept. 24-Oct. 1 and is co-sponsored by the ALA, the
American Booksellers Association and others. 

Robert Cormier's classic "The Chocolate War" topped the 2004 list of
challenged books, cited for sexual content, violence and language. It was
followed by Walter Myers' "Fallen Angels," a young adult novel set in Harlem
and Vietnam and criticized for racism, language and violence.

The numbers for 2004 were the highest since 2000, but still well below the
peak from a decade ago, when more than 700 books were challenged.