Banned and Challenged Books

Glossary

Here are some important words and definitions to know in the fight against censorship!

• Book Ban: The complete removal of materials from the library based on the objections or a person or group, rendering other patrons unable to request an item to read. 
• Shadow bans: The silent removal of books or the restriction of access to them via the movement of books from public shelves to behind the desk without any public or government prompting. This is sometimes done to prevent controversy or public scrutiny, particularly in school libraries. 
• Book Challenge: An attempt to have a library resource removed, or access restricted, based on the objections of a person, group, or law. 
• Intellectual freedom: The right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause, or movement may be explored. 
• Censorship: The limiting or removing of access to words, images, or ideas. The decision to restrict or deny access is made by a governing authority. This could be a person, group, or organization/business (i.e. library board, local committee, etc.)
• Self-censorship: Also known as quiet or soft censorship, this is the act or action of refraining from expressing something (such as a thought, point of view, or belief) that others could deem objectionable. This displays itself in the library field when materials are purposefully limited or not purchased despite being a title that would serve the community.