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ENG286 Banned Books: Banned or Challenged?

Resource guide about banned and/ or challenged books, censorship, and intellectual freedom

What's the difference between a challenge and a banning?

"A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.

 A banning is the removal of those materials. 

Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others."

American Library Association Banned or Challenged Books

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Top Reasons for Banning or Challenging a Book

The following were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom:

  1. the material was considered to be "sexually explicit"
  2. the material contained "offensive language"
  3. the materials was "unsuited to any age group"

Links to Lists of Challenged Books

Hofheimer Librarians

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Hofheimer Librarians
Contact:
Library Main Phone:
(757) 455-3224

Stephen Leist, Head Librarian
Birdsong School of Social Sciences
sleist@vwu.edu
757-455-2131

Abe Nemon
Goode School of the Humanities
anemon@vwu.edu
757-455-3254

Sarah Shiplet
Brock School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
sshiplet@vwu.edu
757-455-3262

Kelsi Dunman
Watts School of Professional Studies
kdunman@vwu.edu
757-455-3221
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