Pathfinder Books

1. “The Limits of Tolerance: Censorship and Intellectual Freedom in Public Libraries” by Ann Curry

This book focuses on the relationship between the practice of public librarians and the philosophy of intellectual freedom. The libraries and its librarians control access to information by selecting the materials in the library and therefore they do deal with censorship on a basic level. In this book Ann Curry surveys practicing librarians, asking them questions about their attitudes on “materials selection.” The final discussion covers managing the inevitable complaints from people and groups the selection policy has offended.  

Curry, A. (1996). The limits of tolerance: Censorship and intellectual freedom in public libraries. The Scarecrow Press, Inc.

1. “Burn This Book” by Toni Morrison 

This book is a collection of essays that focus on the meaning of censorship and the power literature has to inform the way we see both the world and ourselves. Americans often take freedom of speech for granted. Censorship is something most Americans associate with places like China and the former Soviet Union but more and more censorship is creeping into our lives threw politics and government. This book highlights just how important our freedom of speech and freedom to information is.   

Morrison, T. (2009). Burn this book. HarperCollins Publishers.

1. “Banned Books” by Marcia Amidon Lusted

“Banned Books” provides a balanced look at the topic of banned/censored books. It explores the history and future of book banning and censorship, including ancient Greece, but most importantly in modern US. This book explains why books are challenged and banned, as well as which titles have been challenged most often. 

Lusted, M. (2013). Banned books. ABDO.