Over 1,500 books were targeted for censorship in 2021, according to the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom, more than the association has seen since they first tracked the statistic in 1957.
The majority of those complaints are sourced from parents and community leaders who want children’s books which address gender, race, or sexuality removed from school curricula and libraries. It begs the question: how can children who are shielded from discussing race, sex or gender mature into adults who speak up in the face of workplace discrimination, or advocate for equal pay, or recognize that “Adolph theWolf” is cousin to “The Cat in the Hat?”
National Banned Book Week is coming up Sept. 18-24, yet the San Diego County Library System, with branches planted from Potrero to La Mesa, does not have anything on the calendar to even suggest a celebratory week. Maybe they haven’t planned anything because 2022 is a transitional year.
Just as possible: the pushback against censorship is presented with a whisper befitting a library. Housing “Dear America” under the same roof as “Survival in Auschwitz” opens a conversation about nationalism and humanity which relies on guttural history and current events in place of lofty talking points. The personal narrative of anyone kept in, kept out or kept down is more brutal than any conjured up plot line and has the power to launch a conversation that could change public policy. Shelving those stories laced with profanity next to the ones with more innocent language is a form of inclusion, but also quietly answers braying demands for censorship with a resounding silence. There might not be a long list of events in honor of Banned Books Week but the books themselves are on the shelves in hardcover and ebook formats.
Why give the bullies power?
Instead, Alpine Library Friends Association President Deborah Verfaillie said the little used bookstore tucked alongside the county branch library in the relatively conservative neighborhood will feature banned books Sept. 18 through 24.
The county library system included “The Magic Fish” among the year’s One Book, One San Diego choices, a graphic novel which is essentially about gender, self-identity and the desperate love of family— the same novel found in Santee,
Pine Valley and Lemon Grove was chosen to “bring the community closer together” without ever mentioning banned books.
Chula Vista library’s RUTH exhibit is a multimedia gathering of local holocaust survivor stories that circumvent any debate on whether “The Diary of Anne Frank” is appropriate reading. The books themselves are there in place of any question on their value, quietly standing sentry over history and reason, deftly planted so residents can decide for themselves what to read.
In the meantime, the libraries continue with a wide variety of programming for everyone.
• The El Cajon library offers recurring and regular meetups where LGBTQ+ teens, ages 12- 17 can socialize in a safe space every Wednesday from 4:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.
• A free series of computer and internet classes presented for beginners in English, Spanish and Arabic will be offered every Thursday in September starting Sept. 8. The four-week course covers basic computer skills including components, internet, email, search engine use, and internet safety. Registration is required.
• On Sept. 9, representatives from the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs will be at the El Cajon library with information on home loans, educational opportunities and more.
• La Maestra Community Health Centers will be on hand Sept. 13 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in El Cajon with information about healthcare and social services.
•Adults with disabilities and their caregivers can enjoy weekly music, movement, crafting, and social opportunities every Wednesday from 10:45-11:30 a.m.. A certified yoga instructor will lead the group in Chair Yoga on Sept. 21.
•The Lakeside Book Club will be discussing The Family Upstairs from 4-5 p.m. on Sept. 22.
•The Southern Caregiver Resource Center will be at the Santee library from 3-5 p.m. on Sept. 12 with information for families caring for adults with chronic and disabling conditions.
•Love on a Leash therapy dogs will be at the Lemon Grove library for story time reading from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. on Sept. 7.
• The Lemon Grove library will hold Origami hour from 3-4pm on Sept. 8 with projects for a variety of different difficulty levels.
•Heaven’s Windows will be providing snacks and light meals every day from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Lemon Grove library, free for anyone 18 years or younger while supplies last.
Visit www.sdcl.org for information on these and other San Diego county branch library events happening in September.
You can email Jessica at: jessica@integritynews.us with comments and suggestions.
