Waldinger librarians discuss increase in book bans and challenges

As long as there have been books, there have been critics of books whose content they have deemed dangerous, inappropriate or just plain uncomfortable. And some of literature’s harshest critics can be parents wanting to place responsible limits on the books their children read.

Book banning remains a largely unpopular practice nationwide, but in recent years, schools and libraries have buckled under a dizzying surge of book challenges and bans, according to the American Library Association.

Nine months into the current year, the number of challenges across the country — nearly 700, of almost 1,700 book titles — documented by the ALA is on track to top last year’s record-breaking total of 729. And the association believes that such estimates, which come from media accounts and library reports, are in reality far too low.

Those challenging the books aren’t just disgruntled parents, either: Political organizations, parental groups and even lawmakers are calling for the outright banning of books they deem objectionable from schools and libraries. Many are zeroing in on recent titles centering on freighted topics like race, sexuality and gender identity.

Valley Stream, however, does not have a book-banning problem, according to the director of the Henry Waldinger Memorial Library, Mamie Eng, nor does she anticipate one anytime soon.

“We take our jobs as librarians very seriously,” Eng said, adding that the spike in book banning is by and large a politicized issue that has sidelined the important, often unsung work done by professional librarians to ensure that all of their patrons have access to a wide range of engaging, balanced and educational literature.

So what goes into deciding what books make the cut?

For the Waldinger Library’s teen and children’s librarians, Faith Kenney and Jaclyn Kunz, much thought goes into deciding what books ultimately wind up on the shelves.

“When deciding what books to purchase, it’s a combination of things, but I always consult professional resources like book reviews written by professional librarians from the School Library Journal to the Publishers Weekly booklist,” Kunz said.

“I also see what books are popular, what books have been recognized for their artistic or literary merit, what students need for school, and what’s resonating with the local community of kids and young adults,” Kenney added.

It may sound obvious, but when deciding what books to buy, it also pays to note what readers themselves are interested in reading, Kunz said. Over time, librarians get a sense of the reading habits of their patrons, which can be totally different from one library to the next.

“The Valley Stream community is not only culturally diverse, but there’s also so much diversity of thought and opinion, and there should be something for every single person in the library,” Kunz said. “We’re always striving to make sure our patrons see themselves reflected back in the stories they read and find themselves reflected on the shelf.”

“Whether there’s a kid that is dealing with difficult home life, questioning their gender identity or has a parent that is incarcerated or wants to see a character wearing a hijab like them, we make sure they can find a book that speaks to that same experience,” explained Kunz. And parents should know that “every single book that’s on our shelves was selected purposefully, and with a child’s brain or teen’s brain in mind, and I think that’s really important.”

It also helps parents, too, Kenney added, who want to find a book to read with their kid that tackles difficult or tricky topics like the passing of a loved one, or potty training, or having “the talk.” And kids and young adults, she said, are far more discerning and critical about the books they want to read than most adults give them credit for. 

“If you give a kid a book that’s too much for them, they tend to just put it down,” Kunz said. “They don’t care. They’ll be a few pages in and return the book and say, ‘That’s not for me.’ You have to trust that readers know that about themselves.

“It’s all about choice,” she went on. “And every reader, like every kid, is different.” Every patron who walks into the library is bound to “see a title they don’t like or agree with, and that’s OK. Don’t pick up the book. Don’t read it, but do respect everyone’s right to choose what they want to read. Don’t deny another person the right to see themselves in books.

“There’s still a greater push in our profession for more diverse books,” Kunz concluded. “We’re not in the business of banning or challenging books, but pushing for quality books, and we’re only scratching the surface of what we need in books.”

Have an opinion about book banning? Please send an email to jlasso@liherald.com.