zlacker

You missed a link.

No. Not stocking a book because it's physically impossible to stock all books in the world is not the same as banning it.

The ALA's statement[1] is clear, and IMO common-sense: proscribing or removing content for doctrinal reasons is the problem.

[1]: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill

>>woodru+(OP)
Sorry about the link. Not great for my credibility.

The concrete "book bans" I've heard about have been that Maus is no longer required reading in 8th grade, or that explicit sex pictures are banned from middle school libraries. Neither seem terrible to me.

What are the most egregious bans I might actually be upset by?

>>Burnin+02
Please don't take this as a slight: why does your personal emotional reaction matter here? The idea that public libraries should be open sources of information shouldn't require hot-blooded sentiment from you or me. It's an extension of principles that you and I (notionally) agree on.

That being said: I, for one, think that 8th graders should have Maus accessible to them; it's a difficult book substantively and in terms of presentation, but I don't think reading it is going to "damage" any 8th grader. "Required" is besides the point.

>>woodru+23
I own Maus myself and am a big fan. I agree about public libraries. Less convinced about school libraries for minors.

My point was that when Maus stopped being part of required reading in one school district, that was reported as a "book ban", which is very misleading.

So now I'm suspicious of other reported "book bans" until I've heard the details.