'free people read freely,' or, why i love the ALA

The ALA (that would be the American Library Association, to those of you not in the know, or at least not full-fledged library geeks like some of us) has been an incredible advocate of free speech (and simultaneously the right to privacy*#) over the years, and recently did not disappoint. Earlier this week the organization released a statement, a simple, concise statement, reiterating its uneqivocal opposition to the banning of books.

The ALA, of course, has a long and respected history of defending our fundamental right to read against the equally long (if less respected) history of banning books. This year the ALA, along with numerous other bookish and freedom-loving organizations, will be celebrating Banned Book Week from September 27th through October 4th.

But what is so interesting, and so very pleasing, about the ALA's recent anti-banning statement is its timing. It followed by a day Time Magazine's expose on Sarah Palin's years as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. Included in this expose was the following paragraph:

[Former Wasilla mayor] Stein says that as mayor, Palin continued to inject religious beliefs into her policy at times. “She asked the library how she could go about banning books,” he says, because some voters thought they had inappropriate language in them. “The librarian was aghast.” The librarian, Mary Ellen Baker, couldn’t be reached for comment, but news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire her for not giving “full support” to the mayor.

So in honor of libraries, librarians, and Sarah Palin, dig out those old, worn out copies of The Color Purple, Ulysses, Beloved, Arabian Nights and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer that are lurking in your closet, or on your bookshelves, or boxed away in your parents' basement. Stand up for Harry Potter, Huck Finn, and The Chocolate War. Read.

*"Privacy is essential to the exercise of free speech, free thought, and free association. Lack of privacy and confidentiality chills users' choices, thereby suppressing access to ideas. The possibility of surveillance, whether direct or through access to records of speech, research and exploration, undermines a democratic society." -ALA

# fascinating ALA panel talk on privacy vs. secrecy