Canterbury Forum

On Sunday, March 24, the Canterbury Forum will host a program focused on the widespread efforts by cultural and religious conservatives to censor the educational and informational role of public libraries in America. Our presenter is Dr. Johnnie R. Blunt, instructor and Education and Youth Services Librarian at the University of Northern Iowa's Rod Library. Dr. Blunt takes a long view of the current assault on public libraries, placing it in historical perspective. Titling his talk "Public Libraries in the Current Age of Book Bans and Censorship", he describes it in these words:  "According to the American Library Association, 'a core value of librarianship...is thwarting censorship and allowing the free and full exchange of ideas.'  This statement assumes that a fully functional democracy depends on a literate and informed citizenry. Within this context, public libraries ensure that all citizens have access to the sociopolitical contradictions, tensions, and debates that inform their…