Listen to what some people don’t want you to hear at Tri-Cities banned book marathon

On Saturday the Mid-Columbia Libraries will spend eight hours sharing what some people don’t want you to hear.

To mark Banned Books Week it plans a Kennewick reading marathon from some of the books that have been banned elsewhere but remain in its collection.

The public is invited to participate, with some 15-minute slots to read aloud still available between when the marathon starts with a reading from “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein until it wraps up with “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury.

In between, some people have already signed up to read from “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “I am Jazz” by Jessica Herthel and “In the Dream House” by Carmen Maria Machado.

Reading aloud from a banned book highlights the shared support of the freedom to seek and express ideas, says Mid-Columbia Libraries information about the event.

“As a public library, we support all individuals’ right to choose and read or not read a particular book as well as their right to voice concern over a particular title,” said Haley Cole, a customer service representative helping create the banned books event.

But materials should not be excluded from the collection because of the origin, background or views of those creating them, she said.

“The libraries believe books help reach across boundaries and build connections among different readerships, while censorship creates barriers,” she said.

There are so many materials to choose from in the Mid-Columbia Libraries, that staff will always try to point people to something they enjoy rather than removing something that another person may want, she said.

Library members also can help shape the collection by suggesting specific books or types of books that should be purchased, Cole said.

Neither the Mid-Columbia Libraries or Richland Public Library were immediately able to provide information on what books each has had challenged and the outcome of challenges

Challenges are rare, Cole said.

But they do “create an opportunity to review our books and why they were included in the collection,” she said. “We do take these challenges seriously.”

Mid-Columbia Libraries librarians strive to uphold the Library Bill of Rights, which states that “books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information and enlightenment of all people in the community,” she said.

The American Library Association reports that it tracked 729 challenges in 2021, with 44% of them at school libraries, 37% at public libraries and 18% at schools.

Most challenged books

The top three most challenged books in 2021 plus two others in the top 10 all had LBGTQ+ content. Most often challenged was “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe.

Others on the list included “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, in part for complaints it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda.

“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Seattle author Sherman Alexie also was on the list, challenged over profanity, sexual references and use of a derogatory term.

Any child under 13 is automatically issued a juvenile rather than a regular library card at Mid-Columbia Libraries.

It restricts checking out videos with a PG-13 or R rating.

Mid-Columbia shares some of the books in its collection that have been banned elsewhere at midcolumbialibraries.org/banned-and-challenged-books.

To suggest a book to purchase, go to midcolumbialibraries.org/services/suggest-a-purchase.

The Banned Books Reading Marathon will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Kennewick Library on 1620 S. Union St.

Sign up to be a reader at midcolumbialibraries.org/banned-book-event-registration.