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Originally Posted by Gilda
Challenges come from the outside, from patrons, or even frequently from people who are not patrons, private citizens, etc. not from the people who review and purchase books for the libraries, usually a lone voice or very vocal minority who are attempting to force their view of morality on everyone by preventing others from getting access to things they deem inappropriate.
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Of course they do, I never thought the Libraries challenged their own books, but just because someone issues a challenge doesn't mean you have to listen to it. Most changes in local government happens because of vocal minorities, most of us have to much going on to care, if you want this to stop, elect people who don't listen to vocal minorities.
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If you don't like a book, don't check it out and don't read it. Nobody is forcing anyone to read anything they don't want to.
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Yes thats fine, but you know people do not work that way when somebody thinks of the children.
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The ALA doesn't sell books, they promote libraries.
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But...from your OP
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Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the American Library Association (ALA), the Association of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Library of Congress Center for the Book.
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Mmmmm looks like they were 'sponsored' by more than just people who like Libraries.
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They planned a promotion ahead of time to coincide with an ALA sponsored event. I'll bet you'll find displays of Christmas themed books around Christmas, Thanksgiving books around Thanksgiving, summer reading displays, in late spring, and so forth. Bookstores take advantage of banned books week to promote certain books, true. This doesn't make it a corporate sponsored event meant to sell books.
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Since no books were really banned, my cynical nature begs to differ. This is a win/win, they can pretend to be defending the public from ignorance while at the same time cashing in.
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You're reversing cause and effect. Christmas doesn't exist because of stores having Christmas promotions. Easter doesn't exist to promote the sale of eggs, candy, and baskets. Independence Day doesn't exist to promote Baseball and barbeques. That bookstores use this, perhaps with the permission of the ALA, to promote their own interests doesn't mean that they're the driving force behind it.
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What if you had a banned book week and no body cared? Would you say that Christmas is the same now that it has become a consumer orgy, or has it been twisted into something else? Thanksgiving may well be the same, being it’s a modern holiday.
Unlike Christmas, Independence Day, and the like, there is a difference. You can't sell Christmas Spirit, or Independence (at least not on paper), you can only sell things to help celebrate it, or promote around it like a sale. On the other hand you CAN sell books, books few would recall or buy but for the ALA bravely standing up and saying 'People don't like this book in our Libraries, go read it to spite them!'.
And like good consumers many people now will, all the while thinking they are independent thinkers showing their superiority to those narrow minded book banners, while in reality they just succumbed to a marketing ploy.
Edit: After looking at the the American Society of Journalists and Authors website I'd add them to the list of 'people making money' off this, though in a less direct way. That leaves only the ALA with 'clean' hands, and I'll even wonder about that, anyone have their corporate sponsor list?
