Steve Hobbs and Sara Jones: Book bans an egregious form of censorship

By Steve Hobbs and Sara Jones

Libraries connect readers to information, ideas, learning, knowledge and development. At the Office of the Secretary of State, we help ensure people have unfettered access to information at hundreds of public, school, academic, and institutional libraries across Washington. This commitment is rooted in the fundamental principle that an educated and informed citizenry is critical to a free society.

But in today’s increasingly polarized political climate, an alarming trend to ban books from schools and community libraries has become a detrimental force in American society.

Book banning occurs when private individuals or special-interest groups demand that a book be removed from libraries, school reading lists or bookstore shelves because they object to its theme or content, or fear that certain books may be inappropriate for young readers. Advocates often justify their demands in the name of “protection.” In this posture, they are judging what is appropriate for everyone based on their own beliefs and opinions. They are, in a sense, telling people what and what not to read.

Authorities on the Constitutional right to free speech consider book banning perhaps the most widespread form of censorship in the United States. At Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, we believe book banning is censorship. People should decide for themselves what to read based on their interests, sensibilities and values. No one – apart from parents for their children – should have the right to suppress what other people read or to make those decisions for others. Book banning infringes on everyone’s intellectual rights and threatens the core of our freedoms.

Also, banning books narrows readers’ worldview. When reading materials and other literary content become inaccessible, people lose opportunities to explore their identity, learn history, discover community and more. Book bans hinder our ability to learn about different people as well as ourselves. They compromise children’s education and stunt people’s natural curiosity about the world.

Books serve as a gateway to life experiences, empowering readers to understand different places, cultures, religions, perspectives and ideas. Books help foster acceptance, empathy and appreciation for others, and greater physical, social, and emotional development, which is why libraries are more than just a repository for books and other content. They are a community resource and sanctuary for people who love to learn and explore.

Librarians are trained to select a wide variety of materials to cover a range of subjects that reflect diverse experiences and perspectives. We do not select content based on our personal beliefs, nor do we feel that the choice of content should be dictated by any advocacy or special-interest group.

A recent American Library Association poll found that 71% of respondents across the political spectrum oppose book banning. Most respondents appreciate their libraries, are confident libraries make good collection decisions, and believe libraries offer materials that encompass a variety of diverse viewpoints and subjects.

A library is a cornerstone of its community, school, university, or detention facility. At the Washington State Library and at libraries across the state, we open our doors to a world of knowledge and imagination for millions of Washingtonians every day. Visit ala.org/advocacy/bbooks or sos.wa.gov/library for more information.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is responsible for managing state and local elections, corporation and charity filings, Washington State Library, Washington Talking Book & Braille Library, and Washington State Archives, and more. Washington State Librarian Sara Jones oversees the Washington State Library. She develops and leads strategies that enhance public access to library materials, collections, and services; and safeguards the state library’s role as a historical asset and repository for government documents and publications. Both are based in Olympia.