Monday, September 29, 2008

Banned Books Week: Q&A

All of this information comes from ALA's pages on Banned Books Week.

Q: When did ALA begin observing Banned Books Week?
A: 1982


Q: What is listed as the #1 most-challenged book of the 1990s?
A. Scary Stories (series) by Alvin Schwartz

Q: How many challenges were reported by the Office for Intellectual Freedom in 2005?
A: 405.

Q: Was this number up or down from 2000?
A: Down. In 2000, the OIF reported 646 challenges.

Q: What was the #1 reason books were challenged between 2000 and 2005?
A: Offensive language.

Q: What types of institutions were targeted most often for challenges between 2000 and 2005?
A: School libraries and schools.

Q: What type or category of person initiated the most challenges in the same time period?
A: Parents.

Q: Where is J.K. Rowling on the list of top ten authors challenged 1990 to 2004?
A: #4.

Q: What is the most-challenged book by an author of color, and where did it rank in the overall standings for 1990-2000?
A: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou; it was #3 overall.


3 comments:

Heidi Rabinowitz said...

I see you changed the name of your blog - very catchy!

It was lovely to meet you at Podcast & New Media Expo in California. Thanks for mentioning my podcast on your blog! We librarians need to stick together.

Heidi Estrin
The Book of Life podcast
www.jewishbooks.blogspot.com

Serena said...

wow people will take offense to the oddest things...maya angelou?

Anna said...

Very interesting statistics. I've always wondered why some parents try to ruin it for everyone. If you don't like the book, don't let your child read it, but don't stop everyone else from reading it!

--Anna
http://diaryofaneccentric.blogspot.com