The Ripple Effect of Book Bans on the Academy
It’s not news to those in library-land that book bans and censorship in higher education have serious implications for the future of research, scholarship, and learning. We know that students and scholars need access to a wide range of perspectives for a comprehensive education, and bans restrict this, leading to a less critical and engaged academic environment, full stop.
For librarians, censorship directly impacts our ability to provide access to information (which is our whole job). It challenges our professional ethics and can lead to self-censorship, where we might avoid certain materials to deter conflicts, thus limiting resources for our users. This can be demoralizing and may dissuade people from pursuing careers in librarianship, which weakens our profession. (Lots of other things weaken our profession, too, but I’ll stand on one soapbox at a time.)
Our colleagues in school libraries and public libraries have been battling book bans and censorship for years and have developed effective strategies to counter these challenges. As book bans in public libraries continue to increase — the American Library Association (ALA) reports a 92 percent rise in requests to ban books in 2023 – they have organized community outreach programs, engaged in advocacy efforts (Unite Against Book Bans), and have been called to continuously defend intellectual freedom (shout out to Lisa Varga and my library colleagues across the Commonwealth of Virginia). While these numbers only reflect the cases reported to the ALA, they underscore a troubling trend – regardless of the type of library, no one is immune to the wave of censorship that has surged since 2021.
While academic librarians have also been fighting the good fight, I think it’s disingenuous to pretend that I, as an academic librarian, now the breadth and depth of these challenges better than public or school librarians do. They have been on the front lines of this battle for a long time and have much to teach us. However, I do have some ideas to throw around (none of which are entirely new or revolutionary) – we must develop and enforce clear policies that protect academic freedom and ensure diverse collections in our libraries. A more practical step would be for institutions to provide support and training for librarians, library staff, and faculty to handle challenges to intellectual freedom effectively (including about how to deal with it when the call is coming from inside the house – know what I mean?). Collaboration between the different parts of librarianship (academic, public, school, and special) can also strengthen our efforts as we can share resources, strategies, and support networks.
Additionally, strictly from the academy standpoint, faculty can incorporate diverse materials into their curriculum which encourages students to explore a broad range of perspectives. Publishers and vendors can ensure their diverse materials are affordable and accessible. Campus administrators can support these efforts by allocating funds for robust, diverse collections and ensuring collection development policies are in place to not only protect against censorship but to protect their staff as well (with things like Project 2025 hanging over those of us in the US, this second bit seems more and more important). Students can get involved by participating in library advocacy groups and supporting intellectual freedom initiatives on campus.
Librarians and library staff are crucial in this fight, and we need the active support of the entire academic community to ensure libraries remain places where knowledge and ideas can flourish. By learning from our colleagues and working together, we can protect intellectual freedom and support an environment where not only scholars but also librarians and library staff can thrive.
