LIBRARIES
Canadian Librarians [August 2005] Responding to e-mailed enquiries from Gabriele Lundeen, chairwoman of the BPC’s Freedom of Expression Committee, seven Canadian librarians reported challenges to the following publications in public libraries throughout 2004–05. The publications included a newspaper, books and videos (this list is not exhaustive):
| Title | Author(s) or Editor(s) | Publication Description | Location of Library | Complaint | Result |
| Best of Drawn and Quarterly | Chris Oliveros (editor) | Adult graphic book | Toronto Public Library | It “contains sex and violence.” | Unreported |
| Cable: The End | David Tischman and Darko Macan | Young adult graphic novel | Okanagan Regional Library System | It contains “disturbing language”; it “should not be in the young adult area.” | Unreported |
| Daddy’s Roommate | Michael Willhoite | Children’s fiction | Lethbridge Public Library | It is “not a proper role model for children.” | Retained in collection |
| Famous Fred | John Coates and Catrin Unwin (producers) | Video-recording | Kitchener Public Library | Unreported | Unreported |
| Final Exit | Derek Humphry | Non-fiction book | Lethbridge Public Library | It “promotes suicide.” | Retained in collection |
| Hitler’s War | David Irving | Non-fiction book | Kitchener Public Library | Unreported | Unreported |
| How Did I Begin? | Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom | Sex education book | Okanagan Regional Library System | It provides “too much information” about sex for young children. | Unreported |
| Look-Alikes | Joan Steiner | A series of children’s activity books | Mississauga Library System | They contain pictures of “cigarettes and guns.” | Retained in collection for circulation |
| The New York City Bartender’s Joke Book | Jimmy Pritchard | Paperback book | Saskatoon Public Library | It “promotes negative attitudes toward women and ethnic minorities.” | Withdrawn from circulation |
| NOW | Michael Hollett and Alice Klein (editors) | Weekly newspaper in Toronto | Mississauga Library System | The complainant requested the removal of this free newspaper from the library. | Retained for free weekly distribution |
| Paul Kagame and Rwanda: Power, Genocide and the Rwandan Patriotic Front | Colin M. Waugh | Non-fiction book | Frost Library, York University, Toronto | The complaining student’s family was murdered in Rwanda in 1994. | Removed from display but retained in collection |
| Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy | Scott J. Gill (director) | Video-recording | Mississauga Library System | Unreported | Retained in collection for circulation |
| Sleeping Beauty | Anne Rice | A series of sexually explicit novels | Okanagan Regional Library System | The complainant requested a warning label for the series and suggested controlled access for readers under 18. | Unreported |
| The Story of Little Black Sambo | Helen Bannerman | Children’s fiction | Okanagan Regional Library System | The book contains the words “black” and “Sambo.” The book is “insulting and racist.” | Retained in the advanced picture book section for children (aged 6–12 years) |
| Tadpole | Gary Winick (director) | Video-recording | Kitchener Public Library | Unreported | Unreported |
| The Winter Rescue | Paul Hutchens | Christian fiction | Okanagan Regional Library System | The book conveys religious intolerance: “Christian is good; non-Christian is bad.” | Unreported |