Book bans backfiring? Study reveals increased readership for prohibited books
by CHRISTIAN FLORES | WJLA
Thu, November 2nd 2023, 2:52 PM EDT
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Books in a school library. (WJLA/File)
WASHINGTON (WJLA) — Efforts to ban books - many based on objections to "sexually explicit" material - may have backfired, according to a new study revealing those restricted titles saw a jump in readership after prohibitions were placed.
The study was conducted by professors at Carnegie Mellon University and George Mason University and found that banned books saw a 12% increase in circulation at libraries that did not have restrictions.
Click here to view the PDF file.
Lisa Varga is the Executive Director of the Virginia Library Association and told WJLA that these results do not surprise her.
"I think the data shows those books generally have a larger interest now," Varga said. "I think we will see the people who want to read will always read. This may spark some interest in readers who maybe haven't picked up a book in a long time."
The study also found the increased readership of banned books was largely boosted by previously lesser-known authors, and the social media exposure surrounding certain titles up for restriction played a role in increased readership.
However, Varga said she fears the bans in place have already had irreversible consequences.
"When you take the book out of the school, the students there, that might be their only access to books. Their parents and guardians might not take them to the public library. The students might not have the disposable income to purchase books," Varga said. "The most important thing is if those books have been banned and removed from school libraries or public libraries, they are no longer available to the audience to which they were intended. That's really devastating to us."
WJLA has extensively reported on book bans in the past year.
Recently, Spotsylvania County Public Schools removed books deemed "sexually explicit" from school libraries, including multiple books by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison.
Additionally, similar efforts almost caused the Samuels Public Library in Front Royal to shut its doors after groups pushing to ban several books pressured leaders to strip funding.
A Va. library that traces its roots to the 18th century could soon be shuttered over a dispute about children’s books that expose readers to LGBTQ+ characters. (Courtesy: Samuels Public Library)
"You're violating people's constitutional rights," Varga said. "What we've seen is a pattern of books that cover certain topics - the lived experiences of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals - and having those stories removed both from school and public libraries have a longer impact. We all know representation matters, and that's one of the reasons these books make their way onto the shelves. It isn't as though librarians just supermarket sweep their way through aisles of bookstores. There are very clear policies for collection development and materials management at the libraries."
According to the American Library Association, Virginia had the second most books challenged to be banned in the country, behind Texas.
Despite this new study seemingly showing these methods to backfire on those who want fewer people to read these books, Varga said she is concerned these efforts will only continue.
"I don't think this will stop anyone from trying to get books out of the hands of people they don't want them exposed to. What we're seeing is a pattern of books that are being banned and challenged that represent the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities, and I don't think that's going to stop any time soon," Varga said. "Generally, what happens is people find out about a book on social media - they might see a clip or paragraph, or page out of it - and they decide to take that fight to their local community. The majority of folks who are doing this haven't read the book in its entirety, and that's part of the reason we are so forceful because when you look at a book, you have to look at it as a whole. You can't just take things out of context and decide you don't want your child to read it - so therefore, no one else can read it."
WJLA reached out to Clean Up Samuels Library, the group that has attempted to get several books in the Front Royal Library prohibited, and asked the following questions:
- Do the findings of this study make you want to be less public about wanting to ban books?
- What's your reaction to the efforts to ban books appearing to backfire and give these books more exposure?
- Do you think it should be up to parents - not governmental entities - to decide what books kids can and cannot read?
- What's your response that book banning goes against free speech?
Nobody with the group has responded as of the time of publication.
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"I think it's up to each family to determine what's right for their children, but you don't get to make a decision for other people's kids," Varga said. "What I really hope folks recognize is trying to ban books and doing a line-item veto of chapters or anything like that is really such overreach. It's really a misuse of power. Hopefully, folks will realize that and do what we hope they do: make choices for themselves and their families, and not try to make decisions for other members of the community."
Streisand effect is undefeated!
