Day One of Banned Books Week

The American Library Association's Banned Books Week (Sept. 24 through Oct. 1, 2011) begins today, and to commemorate we are recommending a week's worth of banned or challenged library books.

My Library has a "Banned Book" Trailers Playlist, from which we will showcase various books that have been banned or challenged in school, public, or academic libraries.  Let's start with two classic novels that were first published over 50 years ago and are periodically attacked by would-be censors seeking their removal from school curricula and/or library shelves.

Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

A Separate Peace, by John Knowles

Thanks to Everyone Protecting the Right to Read What We Choose,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

BBW News Beat

P.S.  "Louie, Louie," by the Kingsmen (1963), sufficiently annoyed a Frankfort, Indiana listener who called upon Hoosier Governor Matthew Welsh and demanded the song be banned from radio play.  Although the governor has no such legal authority to prohibit airplay of any particular music,  in early 1964 Governor Welsh wrote Reid Chapman, president of the Indiana Broadcasters Association, stating that "it might be simpler all around if [the song] wasn't played [on Indiana radio stations]."  Chapman subsequently contacted IBA members advising them to stop playing "Louie, Louie" on the air.  Many years later, Welsh insisted that this was not censorship.  Sure sounds like it to moi.  (At the time, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office decided that the song contained no obscene language; in fact, the lyrics were largely unintelligible.)  Anyway, watch a recording from the television program Shindig! (if you can find it online) of the Kingsmen singing the group's biggest hit.  If you live in Indiana, maybe you should use earbuds, lower your  window shades, turn out the lights, and hide in the closet.  Although Governor Welsh's intrusion into  Hoosiers' radio listening choices occurred 47 years ago, you never know who's thinking what down there at the State House in Indianapolis.  Visit Purdue University's Ag-Econ website to read more about "Louie, Louie" and the governor's intervention.

Join Our Merry Madcap Crew

Big holes to fill in my Library's Circulation Department.  Historigal and World Traveller are leaving us for greener pastures (well, WT is heading to the American Southwest, so green may be figurative), while Resident Artist is on medical leave.  That totals three (count 'em!) job vacancies to fill.  That's roughly half the entire Circulation Department.

So CircMaster and Boss Lady have put out the call for capable folks who would like to work in our Library.  Visit the library's website for more information about two of the positions, including employment applications and other job-related what-not.  It's all very people-complicated, but you'll figure it out. Fortunately, we felines don't have to worry about mundane activities like earning a living. We have human minions for that.

Would you like to work at my Library?  Who wouldn't?  Come earn a paycheck where work and play are interchangeable.  It's the best place you'll ever work, bar none.  You can take that to the bank, but they won't give you quarters for it.  Seriously, ask anybody who knows my Library and its fantastic staff.  There is no better place to earn money for your kitties or slobberdoggies. I work there, so that should be reason enough to apply.

Best wishes to Historigal as she returns to museum and art adventures, and also to World Traveller as she explores the Great American Southwest.  Watch out for snakes!  (I love that joke from MST3K.)  We continue to send our love and healing thoughts to Resident Artist and her family, who we hope will be able to visit us soon.

Work and Play Are Four-Letter Words, But Neither is Bad Around Here,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Employment News Beat

P.S.  "Draggin' the Line," by Tommy James (formerly of the Shondells), is a working song, moi-thinks.  The song appeared on his first solo album, Christian of the World (1971).

Another Plateau Reached

My Library's book trailer featuring Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell, should cross the 10,000 viewership mark sometime early this morning.  It is easy to become obsessive over statistics, but this is how the success of many human (but not feline) activities is measured.  For example, why do libraries keep patron door counts, circulation statistics, and similar numerical data about this or that?  The higher the numbers, the more likely funding will continue.  Isn't that the general rule (i.e., more equals better) in Western human society?

In case you're not one of the ten thousand who have watched the book trailer, here it is again (I blogged about the book earlier).

Thanks to everybody who has watched and enjoyed this video.  We have a lot of fun making these things.  It beats actual work, believe you moi.

Big, Mean, Wild Slobberdogs Don't Scare Moi,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

YouTube Channel News Beat

P.S.  Speaking of statistics, there are lots of songs with numbers in the title.  "2,000 Light Years From Home," by the Rolling Stones, is one of them, of which I am particularly fond.  Rather than watch a psychedelic video, I prefer the simple rotation of an old-fashioned, turntable-driven, long-playing record, which, in this case, is the Stones' Their Satanic Majesties Request (released 8 December 1967).  Brian Jones is playing the mellotron. I'm guessing that Mick Jagger was heavily influenced by the Syd Barrett-driven Pink Floyd album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (released 4 August 1967).  Either that, or Jagger's time in Brixton Prison (June 1967) on a drug conviction fueled his lyrical imagination.

Boo-Hoo! No Taste For Moi

Bad news in today's Mooresville-Decatur Times:  The 2011 Taste of Mooresville, about which I blogged earlier this month, "has been postponed until further notice due to scheduling conflicts."

That makes me sad.  I was looking forward to having many tasty treats, but, now, my supper dish is empty, and I am left starving.  Well, hungry, anyway.

The newspaper article continues:

"The Mooresville Kiwanis Club would like to thank the community for the support of this event, and we look forward to a future date for the Taste.  For information concerning refunding of tickets sold, contact B.J. Pendill at 317-831-0056."

Anybody want to take me out to lunch?  I'm thinking tuna.  You?

Too Sad to Think of a Funny Tag Line,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Community Food News Beat

P.S.  Too sad to do a musical closer.  Going to wail some.  Then I'll race around the Library grounds aimlessly to expend some pent-up energy.  Then on to the MPL staff break room to raid the fridge.

Your Freedom to Choose What to Read

The Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) of the American Library Association (ALA) has kindly posted my Library's promo trailer for Banned Books Week (Sept. 24 through Oct. 1, 2011) on its new BBW website.  Thank you, ALA OIF!!!!

Click here to watch it on the ALA OIF Banned Books Week Facebook Wall.

To celebrate Banned Books Week, we should each read a banned or challenged book to see what all the fuss is about.  My Library has a "banned book" trailers playlist on its YouTube Channel.  There you will find some books that have been challenged or banned from libraries.

Your freedom to choose what you read should not be taken for granted.  There are always people who will exert pressure upon those in political power to exclude from schools or libraries books dealing with subjects they don't like or of which they disapprove.   It is censorship, whether one spins the outcome as protective (e.g., "We must protect our children from whatever we decide we don't want them to read about because we think it's bad") or punitive (e.g., "We must censor those who wish to propagate ideas to which we do not subscribe, because our thinking is good, and theirs is bad").

Is it acceptable for parents or guardians to choose what their own children may read?  There are times when this seems appropriate.  May each individual adult decide what s/he reads?  Certainly.

But nobody should have the right to decide for everyone else in the community what shall or shall not be permissible reading.  Make your own individual choices, but allow others to do the same.  Other people are just as smart as anyone else, you know.  Well, not as smart as moi, but I'm a feline, and exceptional at that.

So enjoy reading what you want, when you want, and where you want.  Your favorite library is a good place to start.

Glad to be a Freedom Feline,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

BBW News Beat

P.S.  Totalitarian states that control all information sources are a continued threat to everyone on the planet, including us felines.  This reminded me of "1984," by David Bowie, from his album Diamond Dogs (1974).  Bowie had planned to produce a stage musical based on George Orwell's book, Nineteen Eighty-Four, but this never materialized.  My Library has a book trailer that describes Orwell's masterpiece, which might help you decide if you'd like to read the book.