Submitted by Alice Herman, seventh grade, Jefferson Middle School

A. People raise concerns about books for many reasons, and it's everyone's right of free speech to ask questions and even challenge a book, says UW-Madison librarian Megan Schliesman. "But it isn't their right to decide what others should read."

That's why the power to actually ban a book — to pull it from libraries or classrooms — doesn't lie with the individual who challenged it. Instead, it rests with elected or appointed officials, or with governing bodies, such as library and school boards.

"These decisions are made by people who've been chosen to represent their community in some way," Schliesman says. "Hopefully they're guided by — and following — policies that affirm the First Amendment rights of everyone in the community to read and have access to a wide range of materials and viewpoints."

A book challenge typically begins when someone files a formal request for a book's removal from a school or library. It's then up to those with designated authority, such as a school district's internal review committee, to examine the complaint. If the committee decides to keep the book, the person challenging it can appeal, sending the matter before a higher authority such as a school board.

And if the book is banned? "It can affect what a person will be able to find at the library, potentially compromising access to information and our First Amendment rights," Schliesman says. "That's something we should all be very concerned about."

— Produced in cooperation with University
Communications

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