Miller Library News

Every year a number of books are “challenged” because of content deemed “offensive” or “inappropriate”. Many of these challenges are fought in the courts and in the end, some books are removed from library shelves or removed from curricula.

You might think that books that have earned awards and are considered “great literature” would be spared such complaints and questions, but you would be wrong. Some of the classics that have been challenged include I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, A Lesson Before Dying, Brave New World, Of Mice and Men, Huckleberry Finn & To Kill a Mockingbird.

Not even Harry Potter has been spared: every one of the Harry Potter volumes has come under fire.

Celebrate your freedom to read by checking out some of the most challenged books of 2004.

1. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier – Sexual content, offensive language, religious viewpoint.


2. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers – Racism, offensive content, violence.
3. Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture by Michael Bellesiles – Innacuracy and political viewpoint.


4. The Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey – Offensive language and bad behavior.
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – Homosexual content, offensive language.

For more information, visit these websites: Americal Library Association, Project Censored, the First Amendment Center or the Electronic Frontier Foundation

Help celebrate the freedom to read by taking part in the Miller Library’s Censorship Trivia Contest and earn the chance to win Barry Ween’s “@#$! Censorship” T-Shirt shown below!

The trivia contest is part of our Banned Book Celebration (Banned Book Week runs from 9/24 to 10/1), and draws attention to the titles recently and regularly “challenged” as being “inappropriate” for library shelves.

For a chance to win the t-shirt, answer these 6 questions and turn them in at the Banned Book display on the Main Floor of the Library. Entries are due by Noon on 10/3. The drawing will be at Noon on 10/4.

1. Which banned author, in 1993, became only the second poet in U.S. history to recite an original work at the Presidential Inaugeration? This author has also been featured on Sesame Street.
2. Who was the most challenged author of 2004?
3. Which banned author was placed on a U.S. Postal commemorative stamp in 1979?
4. Which banned writer and illustrator of children’s books has also produced operas and ballets?
5. Which banned book series features Wedgie Woman, Talking Toilets and Naughty Cafeteria Ladies?
6. Which banned book won the 1989 Coretta Scott King Award?

For more information about Banned Book Week and Censorship, visit these sites
The American Library Association
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

The Miller Library has arranged a 30 day trial of the FORENSICnetBASE database and we are seeking your input. Follow this link, run a few searches and let us know what you think by voting here.—>
Votes will be accepted until Friday, September 30th.

The database is only available on campus.

From September 9th through 20th, we have free access to two databases in the Information Technology area: Faulkner’s Advisory for IT Studies (FAITS) and Faulkner’s Security Management Practices. Both are available for campus testing and use. I encourage everyone to take a look at the databases, and let us know what you think. To access,