Banned Books Weeks is somewhat of a misnomer. ALA officials say the event is really about:

* Celebrating our freedom to read.

* Emphasizing the importance of the right to express opinions, no matter how unorthodox or unpopular.

* Ensuring the availability of such views to all who wish to read them.

ALA officials say these principles are challenged hundreds of times each year. Books are rarely banned, they add, but many are "challenged." The challenges often come in the form of formal, written complaints that are filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness.

According to the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom, 546 challenges were received last year nationwide.

"The number of challenges reflects only incidents reported and for each reported, four or five remain unreported," says Judith F. Krug, director of the ALA's office for Intellectual Freedom.

Few books are challenged at county libraries. Darlene Dineen, manager of the county's Columbus Branch Library, says she and other staff members are careful about what they purchase for the library. They can't buy every book, she explained, but try to form a balanced collection of ideas.

"People look at me funny, but I continually say, 'I am not doing my job if I can't find a book that they would object to in my library,' " Dineen says. "This way everyone can have the freedom to read what they want instead of what someone else thinks they should read."

Dineen adds that whether intentional or not, books contain thoughts and beliefs outside the "norm" of a particular person or group. She recalls an experience when she was learning about book banning in library school. The professor held up Swimmy by Leo Lionni. This children's book is about a black fish in a school of red fish that figure out a way to protect themselves from their enemies by swimming together in the shape of a large fish.

When the professor asked if anyone could tell him why the book was banned, no one could. The book, Dineen explains, was viewed as promoting communism because one fish couldn't survive alone, but the school survived together and the big fish was red.

Dineen recalls an experience with a patron who asked that a book be removed because of the sex scene on the cover.

"Try as I might, I couldn't see the same thing she was seeing in the very abstract cover," Dineen says.

Danette Hantla, manager of the Smith Branch Library, sees the weeklong celebration as an opportunity for library staff to educate patrons about banned books and for people to refle ct on the importance of intellectual freedom.

"Many people are surprised to find that some of their favorite books have been challenged or banned at one time or another," says Hantla.

At the top of the ALA's 2006 list of most-challenged books nationally is Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell's award-winning And Tango Makes Three, which is about two male penguins parenting an egg from a mixed-sex penguin couple. It was challenged due to issues about homosexuality.

The list also includes two books by Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye and Beloved. The books were challenged because of sexual content and offensive language.

Off the list last year, but on the roster for several years prior, are J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn.

J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books rank as the most-challenged series of the 21st century thus far. Some people argue the books promote witchcraft to children.

Whatever one's reading preference, Banned Books Week is a reminder not to take the freedom to read for granted. The county library system encourages people to check out and read some of the books that have been challenged, censored or banned over the years.

Learn more

More information on banned books can be found on the American Library Association's Web site at www.ala.org. Salt Lake County Library Services may be reached by calling 801-943-4636, or by visiting www.slco.lib.ut.us.