Photo credit: bookriot.com
Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more.
New Study Explores the Impact of Book Bans on Library Circulation
Recent research conducted by scholars at Carnegie Mellon and George Mason University sheds light on the effects of book bans on the circulation of prohibited titles. The findings may challenge prevailing assumptions about the consequences of such bans. Analyzing circulation statistics from a significant library supply organization in the United States, the study focused on the 25 most frequently banned books and revealed the following insights:
Book bans actually lead to a 12% increase in the circulation of banned books, surpassing rates in a control group. This phenomenon, often referred to as the Streisand effect, indicates that attempts to restrict access may inadvertently boost readership rather than suppress it.
The study noted that the increase in circulation also extends to states where bans are not in effect, with a marginally lower rise of 11.2%.
The surge in readership predominantly involves titles addressing race, gender, and LGBTQ+ issues.
Additionally, bans tend to introduce new audiences to inclusive literature; children are shown to engage with banned books 19% more than their unbanned counterparts following a ban.
Circulation of these titles is rising in both conservative and liberal states, irrespective of their ban status.
(It is crucial to recognize that, despite the uptick in circulation, the ramifications of book bans are detrimental to authors and the literary community as a whole. Any attempts to frame this phenomenon positively should be approached with caution.)
The research leads to a provocative question: If bans are increasing interest in the content that activists aim to shield children from, why do these bans persist? The answer appears to be tied to financial motivations. The study examined political campaigning and donations, revealing that Republican politicians in red states experienced around a 30% rise in donations under $500 following book ban actions.
To reiterate for emphasis: the discussion is largely disconnected from the literature. As Kelly Jensen from Book Riot articulates, “books are an easy, on-the-ground, tangible target” for far-right groups, serving as a starting point in their broader agenda to limit discussions around race and LGBTQ+ topics. The actual increase in readership among children seems to matter little to conservative lawmakers as long as their funding channels remain robust and voter turnout remains high.
It’s Been Five Years Since American Dirt, and We’re Still Salty
Five years have passed since Jeanine Cummins’s American Dirt transitioned from a highly anticipated release to a focal point of controversy within the publishing world. The backlash was significant enough that it necessitated a dedicated discussion on Oprah’s platform. Vanessa provides an insightful analysis on the complexities surrounding American Dirt and explains why the reverberations of this incident still resonate today.
Source
bookriot.com