Indiana University experts available to comment on the effects of book bans ahead of Banned Books Week

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Banned Books Week, an annual celebration of the freedom to read, is Sept. 18 to 24. The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 729 challenges to library, school and university materials and services in 2021, resulting in more than 1,597 individual book challenges or removals. Most targeted books were by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ authors. According to a report from PEN America, more than 40% of recent book bans are the result of directives by state officials or elected lawmakers, an "unprecedented shift" from past book bans which were typically initiated by local community members.

IU experts are available to comment on the history and impacts of banning books. For more information, contact Julia Hodson at [email protected] or 317-697-3655.

• Julie Goodspeed-Chadwick is IUPUI Chancellor’s Professor of English and IU Bicentennial Professor at IUPUC. She is an expert in gender representations in literature and diversity in literature. 
• Steffany Maher is assistant professor of English education at IU Southeast. Her research focuses on approaches to teaching literature and youth cultural studies, especially as applied to teaching young adult literature.
• Howard Rosenbaum is director of the Information and Library Science program at IU Bloomington and is an expert in intellectual freedom. 
• Raymond Haberski is a professor of history and director of American studies at IUPUI. He also directs the Institute for American Thought and is part of the Center for the Study of Religions and American Culture. He is trained in 20th-century US history with a focus on intellectual history.
• Christina Jones is head librarian in the Education Library at the IU School of Education. 
• Grier Carson is director of the Monroe County Public Library and holds a Masters of Library Science from the IU Luddy School of Informatics, Computing & Engineering.