What is a banned or challenged book? Professor April Kendra of the English department joins Library, Museums and Press staff members Kathy Cephas, Amanda McCollom, and host Rich Campbell on this week’s “Campus Voices” to discuss this and other related topics ahead of the “Banned Book Read-Out” on campus next week. During the Read-Out, university community members will have the opportunity to read excerpts from a banned or challenged book.
In this episode we share how books are most often challenged in public and school libraries by concerned parents. Reasons for challenges often involve content related to sexuality including LGBT issues, offensive language, and questions related to suitability of books for certain age groups. However challenges can arise from many issues and viewpoints. Details on specific banned or challenged books are shared, and we end with a short reading from a book which made American Library Association’s annual “Top Ten Challenged Books” in 2017 and several previous years “And Tango Makes Three.”
The Banned Books Read-Out will be held Wednesday, Sept. 26, on the UD Green in front of the Morris Library (rain location: Lecture Room, Morris Library). The Read-Out coincides with the American Library Association’s “Banned Books Week” which celebrates the freedom to read, and is sponsored by the UD Library, Museums and Press, the English Department, and Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society.
The Interview
About Our Guests
- April Kendra is an assistant professor of English at the University of Delaware, where she teaches American literature and Women and Gender Studies. She is also the faculty sponsor of the Mu Rho chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honors Society. She previously was interviewed for the Oct. 29, 2015, Campus Voices episode “Vampire Culture: Eternal Themes.”
- Kathy Cephas is a Library Assistant in the Film & Video Collection, where she schedules showings and materials for faculty as well as helping students, faculty and staff with the vast DVD, VHS and video game collection.
- Amanda McCollom, Librarian in the Student Multimedia Design Center, is coordinator of the Multimedia Literacy program and assists faculty with multimedia assignment creation and teaches multimedia workshops.
- WVUD’s Rich Campbell also works as a Technology Support Specialist in the Student Multimedia Design Center, assisting students, faculty and staff with multimedia equipment, software and the microforms collection.
Learn More
- Banned Books Read-Out on campus Sept. 26, 2018
- Banned Books Week
- American Library Association’s page on Banned and Challenged Books
- English Department
- Library’s Film & Video Collection
- Student Multimedia Design Center
- Sigma Tau Delta
Credits
Rich Campbell: Host, producer, audio engineer, audio editor, web page author
Bill Barnett: Web page editor