As a librarian, my mission is to promote knowledge, foster critical thinking, and provide access to a wide range of ideas and perspectives. It is this commitment to the principles of intellectual freedom that librarians celebrate Banned Books Week this week. I want to shed light on the dark practice of banning books and why it is not only counterproductive but also so harmful to our society.
Banning books goes against everything at the heart of what our nation was founded on. It stifles this freedom by restricting access to ideas, information, and different viewpoints. Limiting access to different ideas undermines a persons ability to think for themselves and form their own opinions.
Libraries are places of learning and enlightenment. When we ban books, we limit the educational opportunities available to our communities and our students. Books are valuable resources for students and allows them to see themselves and view the experiences of others. By banning books, we deny individuals the chance to explore diverse perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of the world.
Books are essential in preserving our cultural and history. Banning books erases the voices and experiences of different groups, usually groups that have already historically been marginalized. Banning books is saying that someone's history does matter. We risk losing the ability to learn from that past.
As a librarian, I stand firmly against the practice of banning books. Banning books undermines the principles of intellectual freedom, limits education, erases our cultural and history Instead, let us celebrate books as vehicles for exploration, enlightenment, and personal growth, and trust in the power of informed individuals to make responsible choices about what they read and believe. If you don't agree with a book, don't read it.
