Harrison Hamm, Opinion Editor Emeritus—
This month, the Granville Public Library is running their Banned Books Reimagined poster contest. They encourage creatives and readers to design their own versions of classic book covers, focusing on books that have been targeted for banning. The list of book possibilities, librarian Elizabeth Wilson said, is lengthy.
“You’d be surprised at the books [people] ban,” Wilson, who works as the Assistant Director of Granville’s library, said. “The reasons are all over the place.”
Efforts to ban books with sensitive themes are not new, but have noticeably increased over the past few years. Prominent Republican politicians, as part of a wider culture war, have encouraged parents and community members to challenge library books that they believe are inappropriate. Research from the American Library Association found that book challenges increased significantly in 2022.
Wilson and the Granville Public Library hope the contest highlights valuable classics and diverse perspectives. It leads up to Banned Books Week in the first week of October, by which time hand-drawn posters will hang around the library.
“A lot of banned books are classics, like 1984 and Animal Farm. A lot of those books don’t have the artwork covers that are over the top today.” The task, Wilson said, is coming up with a creative new look. Instead of the famously simplistic eye design of 1984, what other ways could the cover be designed?
Granville has mostly avoided becoming a target for book challenges, and Wilson credits the support of the local community.
“We’re lucky that we have a lot of community support against that kind of censorship,” she said.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges. A recent Facebook post called out the library for holding a controversial title, drawing upwards of 90 “likes” and plenty of supportive comments. Some patrons and parents have expressed discontent with sensitive topics, Wilson said.
There is a formal process required for a book to actually be taken off the shelves, however. The Granville library has a diligent acquisition process in the first place, making sure the books are well-vetted. A patron who wishes to challenge a library book must read the entire work and then write a report detailing their grievance.
More often, Wilson says, she and the library staff attempt to direct troubled patrons to books that fit their and their kids’ interests.
“Typically, I try to say, ‘well if this isn’t a good fit for your child, then what do you think might be better?’”
They have made an effort to include a diverse collection of books in the library. Those opposed to certain titles are free to their opinion, Wilson says, as long as access isn’t restricted for others.
“We’re trying to build a collection that represents everyone as much as possible,” she said. “It’s not about, ‘do I like or not like that book?’ It’s about, is it helpful or interesting, or fill a gap in our collection?”
That includes books with LGBTQ themes or main characters, which have been frequently targeted by conservative activists. The poster contest is a chance to promote awareness of those books — and reading in general.
“To me, [the book bans] mean we need to keep providing access to these books,” Wilson said.