It would be inconceivable to realize that a physical or digital copy of a book one seeks at our public library has been banned. However, this is not the case everywhere in the world. Many works are still censored for the words and ideas they convey. Just this month, we learned that a book by Élise Gravel, a local author, Pink, blue and you! which playfully tackles gender stereotypes, has been banned in several American schools. Thus, when we look at access to works of all kinds, we quickly see that this intellectual freedom is not an acquired right: we must continue the fight against censorship.
During this Freedom of Expression Week (February 19 to 25), public libraries wish to recall that they are leading actors in vigorously defending this intellectual freedom. Censorship is not new; whether it is to put books on the index, stop printing them, advise against reading them or worse… burn controversial books.
This even happened, again last fall, in the United States. Several books on LGBTQ+ issues have been accused of corrupting young people, just like the saga Harry Potter and the saga Twilight, both accused of Satanism and heresy. Even Where is Charlie got censored! What is most worrying is that this purge is spreading, blocking an openness to the world and an exposure to social realities that are only beneficial.
Expertise against censorship
Opposing this censorship, Quebec public libraries can serve as guides to meet the needs of their users. They are there to present the plurality of collections and activities in these places of knowledge and to defend diverse and inclusive perspectives. Public libraries offer censorship-free services, resources and documents of all types and in all media to the entire community in which it is established, without exception, with the aim of meeting its information, knowledge, culture, education and literacy.
Driven by intellectual freedom, which sustains the democratic vitality of Quebec society, our libraries are essential against any attempt or act of censorship. They must be able to present different social realities without expressing any expectation towards the people who access the sources of information and the cultural works offered in their places.
On the contrary, their power is to embody this openness to the world, like the various communities that frequent the libraries. They create inspiring places to live for the entire community, whose specificity and development they faithfully reflect.
Their staff is trained and able to advise the population, answer their questions, inform them without taboos and promote quality lifelong learning. Public access to works dealing with sensitive and delicate subjects is at the heart of the action of public libraries and they can have confidence in the expertise of their teams.
Driven by these convictions, the Association of Public Libraries of Quebec is proud to defend freedom of expression within its member establishments and to fight against censorship that would only hinder its mandate of openness to the world.
Thus, by going to their neighborhood library, users will have access to works of imagination, discovery, learning, knowledge, cultural practice and experimentation. Whether for a volume ofHarry Pottera novel by François Blais or a book by Élise Gravel, they will have the freedom to choose and borrow.