Libraries which are constantly under attack, explicit or implicit, by conservative parts of society - whether because they oppose any government projects, because they oppose the existence of certain books, because they oppose the kind of people who rely the most on libraries, or so on. If they're not shutting them down they're slashing their budgets or imposing draconian rules about what they can do.
They're unfortunately not something that can be relied on exclusively for an indefinite future.
Every bookstore nowadays, front and center, has a 'banned book' section. It's practically a meme. In the article you linked, no books were removed from the shelves.
It's the definition of an imaginary threat.
The books that are actually banned, the ones that were forced out of print, not available in public libraries and cost hundreds or thousands for a used copy? They are right-leaning politically.
I expect many books are on the radar of would-be opponents because they are either a) revered classics that are often part of school reading lists, or b) books that are popular. Though I can understand wanting to restrict books with instructions for harming others or oneself (even if such information is readily available on the internet.) I can also see why many revered but subversive children's books might be opposed (but of course that's what makes them so great!)
My take is that the greatest threat to public (and university) libraries (along with budget and hour reductions, a general decline in reading, etc.) is copyright law, which currently does not permit a first sale doctrine for ebooks or non-physical digital media and generally stands in the way of building practical and sustainable digital library collections. Innovations such as scanning printed collections and making them available remotely as ebooks or audiobooks, or making music or video collections available remotely, are also prohibited.
I agree that any attack on books and literacy is a problem, but let's not pretend it's just the right that's responsible.
It's not the right's fault that I now have to wonder if a given copy of Matilda is as it was written or if it's been 'sanitized'. It's not the right that challenges Huckleberry Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird for their depictions of racism. Harry Potter, once feared by the hyper conservatives for witchcraft, is now under fire because of the political opinions of the author.
We all need to get better at dealing with difficult ideas, and that includes books whose contents and authors we disagree with. This is a systemic problem across the entire US, not one unique to one wing.
My childhood library changed from a place for books, to a place for homeless people to get internet.
I don't say that hatefully or anything, it's what happened. It was a tiny library chocked full of shelves. Then some were removed to add six or so computers. The last time I went in, over half of the shelves were gone and replaced with computers.
I don't mean to pearl clutch here, I fully support libraries and always will. I do not support a government subsidized internet cafe.
> Libraries which are constantly under attack, explicit or implicit, by conservative parts of society
Which library burns books, more precisely 1/3rd of their children’s collection because fairy tales represent toxic masculinity, including The Little Red Hood?
The corporate neocons and neoliberals are vampirically sacrificing and selling off essential commonwealth public infrastructure and cultural institutions for profit to the detriment of long term investment. The net result is decline and regression.
Arainach|1 year ago
They're unfortunately not something that can be relied on exclusively for an indefinite future.
This is not an imaginary threat: https://www.al.com/news/2024/08/this-alabama-library-had-to-...
gr3ml1n|1 year ago
It's the definition of an imaginary threat.
The books that are actually banned, the ones that were forced out of print, not available in public libraries and cost hundreds or thousands for a used copy? They are right-leaning politically.
musicale|1 year ago
And likely other parts of society as well:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_commonly_challeng...
I expect many books are on the radar of would-be opponents because they are either a) revered classics that are often part of school reading lists, or b) books that are popular. Though I can understand wanting to restrict books with instructions for harming others or oneself (even if such information is readily available on the internet.) I can also see why many revered but subversive children's books might be opposed (but of course that's what makes them so great!)
My take is that the greatest threat to public (and university) libraries (along with budget and hour reductions, a general decline in reading, etc.) is copyright law, which currently does not permit a first sale doctrine for ebooks or non-physical digital media and generally stands in the way of building practical and sustainable digital library collections. Innovations such as scanning printed collections and making them available remotely as ebooks or audiobooks, or making music or video collections available remotely, are also prohibited.
lolinder|1 year ago
It's not the right's fault that I now have to wonder if a given copy of Matilda is as it was written or if it's been 'sanitized'. It's not the right that challenges Huckleberry Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird for their depictions of racism. Harry Potter, once feared by the hyper conservatives for witchcraft, is now under fire because of the political opinions of the author.
We all need to get better at dealing with difficult ideas, and that includes books whose contents and authors we disagree with. This is a systemic problem across the entire US, not one unique to one wing.
chairmansteve|1 year ago
silisili|1 year ago
I don't say that hatefully or anything, it's what happened. It was a tiny library chocked full of shelves. Then some were removed to add six or so computers. The last time I went in, over half of the shelves were gone and replaced with computers.
I don't mean to pearl clutch here, I fully support libraries and always will. I do not support a government subsidized internet cafe.
eastbound|1 year ago
Which library burns books, more precisely 1/3rd of their children’s collection because fairy tales represent toxic masculinity, including The Little Red Hood?
Ah yes, the library of Barcelona. Not what I’d consider “under attack by conservatives”. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/apr/18/barcelona-scho...
bankcust08385|1 year ago