Dewey Decibel Podcast: Banned Books

Episode Six dives into the controversy

October 5, 2016

To coincide with the conclusion of Banned Books Week on October 1, Episode Six of the Dewey Decibel podcast looks at book bans, challenges, and censorship. Join American Libraries Associate Editor and Dewey Decibel host Phil Morehart as he chats with three individuals at the forefront of the conversation:

James LaRue, director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and the executive director of the Freedom to Read Foundation. James and Phil talk about the difference between a challenge and a ban, the reasons behind books bans in the US, and more.

Sara Stevenson, a librarian at O. Henry Middle School in Austin, Texas, who recently experienced a book challenge situation at her school. She relives the experience and offers tips to librarians facing similar books challenges or bans.

Marjane Satrapi, the author of the award-winning graphic novel Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, and director of the Oscar-nominated film adaptation. Satrapi’s book was briefly banned in a high school in Chicago in 2013. Phil spoke with Marjane via phone from Paris about her work, the situation in Chicago, the nature of censorship, and more.

If you have any feedback for the Dewey Decibel team, send us an email at deweydecibel@ala.org. Tell us what you like, what you don’t like, or what you’d like to see us cover. Follow us on Twitter or leave us a review on iTunes.

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