Displaying banned books promotes our right to read
November 17, 2017
Earlier in the school year, beginning Sept. 25 in the library, a display featuring banned books opened students’ eyes to the books that they can check that are sometimes banned in other schools. The library featured this display during Banned Book Week, a movement bringing awareness to censorship and celebrating the desire to read, which began Sept. 24.
“Banned Book Week is promoting the idea that we have the right and privilege in our country,” said librarian Mrs. Dawn Scuderi. As a new librarian to LHS this year, Scuderi hopes that Banned Book Week offered more support to the concept of protecting the right to read in schools.
Titles of banned books in other schools across the country include classics such as Charlotte’s Web and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and the Captain Underpants series, which, according to Scuderi, was listed as number one on the list of banned books.
“Books we consider part of the American culture are removed from the country,” said Scuderi. “No one person or group should decide what everyone reads.” This display highlighted what the library has in its collection, and shows students that they have a right to read..
This display ran through Homecoming week to the start of Oct. Besides bringing more attention to those books that have been banned, the library is also promoting reading as a whole.
Scuderi said, “A good library makes sure it has something for everyone.”