It seems like banning books is at an all-time high or at the very least, we seem to be talking about it a lot more than we have in the past. And with more books being banned, it makes sense that the American Booksellers Association (ABA) is doing what they can to not only raise awareness, but also offer guidance to booksellers.
According to Publishers Weekly, on September 16 a new handbook will be released called The ABA Right to Read Handbook: Fighting Book Bans and Why It Matters. It's a long title, but it truly says it all in the name. This is literally a guide to fighting back against book banning.
Unsurprisingly, proceeds from this handbook will go towards actually fighting against book bans and censorship. The actual author of the book, Philomena Polefrone, is set to make planned appearances in Washington D.C., Brooklyn Heights, NY, Milwaukee, WI, and Portland, OR, to promote the handbook and to talk about the crisis surrounding book banning.
The ABA is releasing a handbook to combat book banning that will act as a guide for sellers
As part of the announcement around the release of this new book, the ABA made a statement where they talked about the importance of this book. They called Right to Read, "a practical guide for resisting book censorship, aimed at the average reader who might only have a few hours each month to spare."
Included in the book are profiles, a history of censorship related to books, and even an assortment of interviews. According to the description of the book from the ABA this handbook, "is a comprehensive guide to resisting the epidemic of book censorship through local organizing and engaged citizenship. The Handbook is designed for the potential advocate who may only have a few hours to spare each month. It identifies the causes, actors, motivations, and strategies of groups attempting to ban books across the country. It offers step-by-step guides for voting in a school board election, understanding a school board's policies, contacting elected officials, and more."
Considering how many books have been banned just since 2021, it makes perfect sense for the ABA to make the decision to release a handbook as a guide for booksellers who are also looking to be activists against the bans. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if this book ended up on a banned list of its own, especially in light of the reasons for some of the recent bans.
What do you think of this handbook being released? Are you surprised that the ABA is releasing this book in September?