I’m really looking forward to this weeks Unshelved strips.  If you like Unshelved, I’d recommend signing up for e-mail delivery of the new strips.

The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) received a total of 546 challenges last year. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school, requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness.

"The number of challenges reflects only incidents reported," said Judith F. Krug, director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom. "For each reported challenge, four or five likely remain unreported."

The "10 Most Challenged Books of 2006" reflect a range of themes, and consist of the following titles:

1. "And Tango Makes Three" by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, for homosexuality, anti-family, and unsuited to age group;
2. "Gossip Girls" series by Cecily Von Ziegesar for homosexuality, sexual content, drugs, unsuited to age group, and offensive language;
3. "Alice" series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor for sexual content and offensive language;
4. "The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things" by Carolyn Mackler for sexual content, anti-family, offensive language, and unsuited to age group;
5. "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison for sexual content, offensive language, and unsuited to age group;
6. "Scary Stories" series by Alvin Schwartz for occult/Satanism, unsuited to age group, violence, and insensitivity;
7. "Athletic Shorts" by Chris Crutcher for homosexuality and offensive language.
8. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky for homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language, and unsuited to age group
9. "Beloved" by Toni Morrison for offensive language, sexual content, and unsuited to age group;
10. "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier for sexual content, offensive language, and violence.

While nobel prize winner Toni Morrison has an edge with TWO separate books on the list, the big topic this year is homosexuality. 

For some reason, people who challenge the appropriateness of books in libraries has swung away from the old favories like Salinger’s  "Catcher in the Rye" and Mark Twain’s "Huckleberry Finn" and decided that the real threat to our children’s well being is FACTUAL knowledge about two male penguins raising a baby penguin together.

Sexual content is a commonly cited problem in books that have been challenged.  I can understand parents wanting control over how their children learn about sexuality and in what context they are exposed to matters of that nature.  What I don’t get is how parents can consider the story of two male penguins raising a baby to be "antifamily" or "homosexual". 

I guess we should be grateful that they are not trying to ban Kipling’s stories about Mowgli.  A human "man cub" being raised by a wolf pack must conjure up some pretty sick sexual imagery in people who see same-sex penguin parents as a threat to the American family.

"And Tango Makes Three," an award-winning children’s book based on a true story about two male penguins who raised a baby penguin, topped the American Library Association’s annual list of works attracting the most complaints from parents, library patrons and others.

The ALA defines a "challenge" as a "formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness." 

The ALA’s offical Banned Books Week starts later this month.  There are lots of ways you can get involved.  This year’s theme is Free People Read Freely©.  The Banned Books Week page has information on orderng kits and posters like this years Young Adult poster:

 

“Changing the Way America Reads”

Could the price of books possibly have gotten any more expensive? During any given week, the average bestseller lists for more than $20. Read three of these in a month and you’re spending over $60! What you’re paying for is the right to own the book… but is ownership what you really want?

Yes!  Ownership is what I really want – sometimes.  And I think its a bit arrogant to think that book addicts like me can’t  navigate out the ins and outs of book shopping.

Changing the Way America Reads?   I don’t think so.  I think it’s a daring and well meaning endeavor; I just can’t imagine it being an attractive solution for people who read as much as I do.

I first heard about this service when it was still under development almost a year ago. I signed up for their mailing list so I would be notified when the service went online.  At the time I didn’t think the service would be good for me since I get very possessive about books that I like.  I read a lot of non-fiction and while I have an excellent memory for the printed word, I often want to go back to a book to pull out a specific quote or stat for a blog posting or just to use as a tag line somewhere.

This service will do nothing to compete with book stores.  It may, however, draw patrons away from already struggling public libraries.

My first thought, upon reading about the Bookswim service, was that it was basically a for-profit lending library.  I live in Philadelphia, the home of the United State’s first free library system.

 Despite the free library system’s roots here, Philadelphia libraries have gone downhill in the last few years.  There have been a lot of cutbacks due to budgetary issues.  My local branch, the only one within walking distance of my house (shown above), is no longer open on Saturdays.  They close at 5:00pm most days.  They are open until 8:00pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, the two days I’m most likely to work late.  When we first moved to Philadelphia I used the library fairly frequently.  It was a great place to get books I knew I wouldn’t want to keep.  The selection at my local branch did not compare favorably with a full size Barnes and Noble store I pass going to and from the office.  And that BN store doesn’t compare to what is available via Amazon.com.

I think we are spoiled in terms of the availability of the written word.  I can go to a flea market and buy the $20-$30 books that Bookswim decries as overpriced for only a few dollars each.  I can shop Half.com and find a selection more like a full size bookstore at prices more like the flea market. I also make a point of checking out the sales and clearance section at QPB (Quality Paperback Books).  I agree with the folks at Bookswim that the price of new books has gotten fairly insane, however, my solution has been to just not buy new books.  I like the idea of the service, but I think  it would be best suited for people without any kind of library system nearby, or for shut-ins without Internet access.  But, for me,  it really comes down to my need to keep books.  I have more books than I have shelf space for at the moment.  I also have about thirty volumes lent out at any given time. 

Yesterday I looked at some beautiful hand crafted oak bookcases made by some of the Amish folks out in the York – Lancaster area.  The shelves I liked most ran about $225.00.  A years membership with Bookswim, at it’s lowest rate, runs $239.88 ($19.99 x 12).  I think I’ll have that money and put it into a new bookcase every year and keep shopping for gently used books on Half.com, QPB.com, and the local flea markets.

Does anyone think this service would fit their needs, and if so, what is it about the service that you find appealing?