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"Catcher
in the Rye" made it onto the top 10 list of books that adults
most frequently wanted removed from U.S. school and public libraries
from 1990 to 1999. The list, compiled in conjunction with Banned
Books Week, which runs through today, was released by the American
Library Assn., the American Booksellers Assn. and the American
Society of Journalists and Authors.
A
computer survey of collections at three libraries in Lawrence
— West Junior High School, LHS and Lawrence Public Library — revealed
each had a copy of "Catcher in the Rye."
The
public library had the most titles — nine — among the 10 most
challenged books. The only book it didn't have on the shelf was
"Heather Has Two Mommies," Leslea Newman's children's book on
lesbianism and homosexuality.
Assistant
librarian Sherri Turner said the public library's purchasing philosophy
reflected a belief that censorship was an individual matter. The
freedom of readers shouldn't be restricted by others, she said.
"We
support the diversity of our public," she said. "There are things
I might choose to read that someone else might not like, but people
should be able to read
the things they want to read. The library isn't out to set an
agenda for anyone else."
The
libraries at LHS and West had six of the top 10 titles. Missing
were: the late Alvin Schwartz's "Scary Story" series of horror
tales; "Daddy's Roommate," Michael Willhoite's book about the
relationship of two men; "Forever," a book by Judy Blume that
explores sexual issues for junior high readers; and "Heather Has
Two Mommies."
However,
a spot check indicated that Quail Run School, an elementary at
1130 Inverness Drive, had copies of the "Scary Story" series.
Beth
Welsh, the Lawrence public school district's coordinator of library
media resources, said the age appropriateness of subject matter
was a factor in deciding which books to buy.
Holdings
at individual schools also vary because librarians are primarily
responsible for making selections, she said.
"Each
building, they're all a little bit different, based on the population,
the neighborhood and needs," Welsh said.
The
five other books from the Banned Book Week top 10 list that were
on shelves of all three libraries, and reasons they're often criticized:
- .."The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, contains "offensive
and racist language."
-
."I
know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, "portrays
white people as being horrible, nasty, stupid people."
-
."The
Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier, "contains profanity, sexual
situations and themes that allegedly encourage disrespectful
behavior."
-
."Of
Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck, "blasphemous."
-
."Bridge
to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson, "profanity, disrespectful
of adults, and an elaborate fantasy world (that) might lead
to confusion."
Turner
said she couldn't recall an official challenge of a book at the
city's library in recent years.
But
Welsh said four books at Lawrence school district libraries were
subjected to written challenge in the 1990s. None of the challenges
led to removal of a book from the district's holdings.
The
three associations releasing the 100-book list of challenged books
revealed the most frequently contested books of 1999: the Harry
Potter series. Christian groups led attacks on the Potter series
because of author J.K. Rowling's themes of witchcraft and wizardry.
"This
just proves no book is safe from censorship attempts," said Judith
Krug, director of the ALA's office of intellectual freedom.
Krug
said 5 percent of complaints led to a book being banned.
A
public school in Bridgeport Township, Mich., removed the Potter
series this year. In 1997, Angelou's memoir was taken off the
ninth-grade English curriculum in Ann Arundel County, Md.
A
book on the top 100 list, Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird,"
was removed in 1996 from an advanced placement English reading
list in Lindale, Tex., because it "conflicted with the values
of the community."
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