Activity:
-
find, read and analyse a peer-reviewed
article:
Isajlovic-Terry, N., McKechnie, L. (E.F.). 2012.
An exploratory study of children’s
views of censorship. In Children & Libraries: The Journal of the
Association
for Library Service to Children,
10 (1) 38-43.
Freedom
can be protected in a democratic society only if its citizens have unrestricted
access to information and ideas.
Statement
1. Asserting the equal and equitable rights of citizens to information
regardless of age, race, gender,
religion, disability, cultural identity, language, socioeconomic status,
lifestyle choice, political allegiance or social viewpoint.
(Australian
Libraries and Information Association, ALIA. 2007).
Researchers Natasha Isajlovic-Terry and Lynne
McKechnie, conducted an exploratory focus group study with 6 children obtaining
views and opinions on censorship. The children’s ages ranged from 9 -12 years. The
study, An exploratory study of children’s
views of censorship, found that the children’s opinions were different to
adults, that they did agree that adults have the right to restrict access to
materials: such as magazines, movies and video games, but not books. Although
adults provide limitations to reading material, children felt that they could
choose for themselves.
The research discussion noted that children
recognised that ‘something that might offend one person would be fine for
another’ (p.42). Particularly in regard to reading material children through
selecting would censor. Children were also determined to read what they want to
read and would be skilled in obtaining the material. The paper provides the
method in regard to collecting the information from children and examples of
children’s responses to censorship.
Parents are usually the providers of a ‘formal
challenge’ about the material in question, one particular item in question was
a picture book deemed inappropriate in America, And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, where
2 male penguins raise a baby penguin in a zoo. Adults deemed the picture book
inappropriate as parents thought that the content, same sex parenting, was
challenging and may affect children especially 4 – 8 year olds (p.39).
Librarians are constantly being challenged by
censorship, the paper mentions Librarian, Anne Curry, who urges Librarians to ensure
children and young adults are able to read books with material that deal openly
with controversial subjects, ‘we need to provide them with challenging books
including controversial ones, in the area of the library where they can be most
easily find them-the children’s/young adult shelves’ (p. 39) children may look
for material that enable them to understand experiences in their own lives. Researcher,
Kim Moody, in Covert Censorship in
libraries: a discussion paper, 2004, affirms that ‘some forms of censorship
are so unconscious that even the individuals perpetrating them have no idea
that they are in fact censoring’ (p.139). Pressure from parents, community and
funding bodies as well as personal prejudices may also influence Librarians to
remove material.
I have learned that censorship is a complex
issue. Professionally, Librarians are to provide free access to books that are
appropriate for children, and yet guard children from adverse material, that
the best of intentions may hinder a children/young adult’s ability to select
their own reading material. Children will know their own capabilities and will
select what is appropriate for them.
The study recommended that Librarians work with
children in the development of policies to ensure children’s voices are
considered in regard to accessing information and their reading material. (p.42)
To enable children to have their say in the collection by allowing them to
select books for the collection, addressing their criteria. As children develop
their identity and what is important to them it is essential to provide a range
of material that will challenge and provide thought provoking concepts as well
as the joy of reading.
References
Australian Library and Information Association.
2007. Statement on free access to
information.
Retrieved from http://www.alia.org.au/about-alia/policies-standards-and-guidelines/statement-free-access-information
Duthie, F. 2010. Libraries and the effects of
censorship. In Australian Library Journal
59(8) 86-94.
Isajlovic-Terry, N., McKechnie, L. (E.F.). 2012.
An exploratory study of children’s
views of censorship. In Children & Libraries: The Journal of the
Association
for Library Service to Children,
10 (1) 38-43.
Moody, K. 2005. Covert censorship in libraries:
a discussion paper. In Australian
Library Journal,
54(2) 138-147.
