The Jewish Public Library (BPJ) of Montreal has put back on the shelves all the books by the very popular children’s author Élise Gravel. This is what a press release suggests, where neither the name of the author nor the titles of her books appear. The library reminds in a very generic way that it recognizes “the fundamental right to access a wide range of knowledge, creativity, ideas and opinions”.
All books for young readers from Mme Gravel, like The adjustable wrench, I’m terrible Or Welcome to the monster shopare back at the BPJ youth corner, as confirmed to Duty a library employee.
In the BPJ digital catalog, these books are still classified as being located behind the shelves (“ Closed stacks. (Ask a librarian) “).
“The BPJ has openly welcomed all the opinions and comments recently addressed to it by its members, its partners and the general public,” indicates the press release.
“The BPJ, like any library, declares that the existence of a particular point of view is an expression of the policy of individual liberty and not an endorsement of that point of view. Consequently, all of the collections held by the BPJ remain accessible. »
No resentment
Élise Gravel said she was “happy and relieved. I have no ill will toward the library, its staff, and its management. I understand the context that led them to make their initial decision,” she said in a press release.
Remember that the brand new director of the BPJ, Alain Dancyger, declared on February 6 to the weekly The Suburban that he had the books removed from the shelves, in order to recognize “the sensitivities that the author’s publications give rise to on social networks”. Élise Gravel takes a position on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The BPJ kept its books behind the counter. You had to ask the librarian to get them. “This gesture ensures accessibility to these books through our catalog,” assured the former director of the Grands ballets canadiennes de Montréal.
Mme Gravel reiterated that while his publications “are very critical of the government of Israel and its actions […], I firmly position myself against all forms of discrimination and racism, and of course against anti-Semitism. I criticize governments, not people.”
“I am happy that children who visit the library do not have to pay the price of this division,” concluded the author.
Punish an author
This withdrawal of Gravel’s books created a media whirlwind. It was described as an act of censorship by the Association of Public Libraries of Quebec, and seen as worrying by the Association for the Promotion of School Documentary Services.
The Union of Quebec Writers linked this gesture to “a worrying trend towards censorship”. The National Association of Book Publishers saw it as an attack “on the freedom to publish and freedom of expression.”
The specialist in children’s literature and teacher at TÉLUQ Yan Hamel analyzed the gesture as retaliation against Élise Gravel, or punishment for her individual public speaking engagements.
On February 20, the BPJ is offering a special evening to mark Freedom of Expression Week, which takes place from February 18 to 24. Titled “ Igniting minds, not books”, this meeting with the writer Emil Sher invites you to “discover the stories behind censorship and explore the history of banned books”. Will we talk about the books of Mme Gravel?
with Étienne Paré