Four favorite Banned Books from KLIC Librarians

The 2021 Banned Books Week is September 26th  - October 2nd! Check out our Banned Books Week guide! Books unite us; censorship divides us. #BannedBooksWeek #bannedbooks #bannedbookslist

In this post, we have four librarians with their favorite banned books!

First up is librarian Dwight Hunter: "Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich is my favorite banned book. Ehrenreich went undercover working jobs in various locations; jobs described as unskilled. During this undercover reporting, Ehrenreich discovered and revealed a section of American full-time workers who were barely getting by, had to make life and death choices, and were only one thin thread away from being in the worst of situations. This book was banned because of drug use, charged as politically inaccurate, offensive language, and its political and religious viewpoints."

Librarian Andrea Kincaid shares her favorite #bannedbook, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

"The American Library Association states the book was 'banned, challenged, and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint and it was claimed to be biased against male students, and for the novel’s inclusion of rape and profanity'.

Nearly every woman I know has been a victim of sexual assault, and many of them were assaulted as girls. This extremely important and valuable book represents the feelings of loss and violation that I and so many of the women I know have experienced as a result of sexual assault. Our bodies are not political!"

Our Dean of Library Services, Susan Jennings, shares one of her favorite #bannedbooks, To Kill a Mockingbird.

"To Kill A Mockingbird is Harper Lee’s masterpiece. Told from the perspective of the child, Scout, Lee recounts her life in her sleepy Southern hometown rocked by the trial and wrongful conviction of Tom Robinson, an innocent black man, for the rape of a young white woman.  Banned over the years for the subject matter of sexual violence, profanity, and racial slurs, To Kill A Mockingbird was one of the first works of fiction to deal with matters of race, integrity in the face of overwhelming odds, violence, and acceptance and reconciliation of others that have been outcasts."

Librarian Andy Foskey recommends his favorite #bannedbook:

"Alice Walker's The Color Purple brings me to tears every time I read it. And I have read it at least three times. It has been banned and challenged over issues related to language and sexuality, but to me those objections miss the point. Life is not always easy, and the characters in this book persevere under the most distressing circumstances. It gives me hope that despite everything wrong in the world that there can still be joy and happiness."

Andy Foskey - The Stars at KLIC: Journey Story of our Staff

For several years, I would pass right by the entrance to Chattanooga State on my way to work.  Every day I would think, “If I worked there, I’d be at work by now!” Instead, I would drive another 30-40 minutes (depending on traffic) to arrive at my desk at a different library in a different town.  I worked at that library for over 7 years, honing my craft as an instruction librarian, and doing the best I could at managing the library’s electronic resources.  I never set out to be a systems librarian, and I’m glad to let other people do that work!

I never set out to be a librarian, period, until I was already out of college and working at an upscale grocery store.  As I spent my days bagging groceries, I wondered what else was out there for me in the world.  Would I be peddling organic quinoa and dried beans forever? I think you, dear reader, can answer that question.  I quickly realized that I’d have to start thinking about going back to school. After all, my bachelor’s degree in Humanities (with a concentration in Philosophy and an undeclared French minor, to boot!) wasn’t getting me very far.

I looked at the graduate programs that were available locally, and narrowed it down to Community College Teaching or Library and Information Studies.  I would say I flipped a coin, but in reality I decided on librarianship because I thought I knew what libraries were about.  I used my library all the time as an undergrad.  I was pretty good at finding things, and I’m constantly curious about the world around me.  When I got into my program at UNC-Greensboro, I quickly learned that I knew nothing about libraries.  I panicked and thought I had made a terrible mistake.  It was a librarian who saved me, and inspired me to become an instruction librarian.  I hardly knew what a database was, and he offered a workshop for anyone who wanted to come learn about the library.  This was my first real introduction to information literacy!

After that, it all started to click.  I got a job working at the reference desk at the library, and met even more awesome librarians that would later become my mentors and friends.  I also did a practicum at the local community college and realized that was exactly the environment I wanted to be in.  And here I am, 10 years later, serving the students, faculty, and staff at Chattanooga State! 

Selected Professional Service:
“Over the Rainbow” Book List Committee, GLBT Round Table of the American Library Association, 2012-2013

Chattanooga Area Library Association (CALA) Vice President, 2012-2013
CALA President, 2013-2014

Staff Senate President, Cleveland State Community College, 2016-2017

Not So Frequently Asked Questions with Andy Foskey

Andy Foskey shows off his broom levitating skills
in front of Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, UK.

Andy Foskey is our new Coordinator of Instruction and Assessment and we're thrilled to have him join our team. Look for him in our library classrooms or around campus teaching students about information literacy. He's also our new English (and Speech) Liaison, so if you're looking for a good book recommendation, he's your guy. He has some great LibGuides that you need to check out when it's time to start writing your English papers: Literature and Research. Contact Andy at 423.697.2623 or andrew.foskey@chattanoogastate.edu for research help or questions about scheduling instruction. Since Andy is new, we wanted to interview him with some Not So Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about him.

1. Who has the best cup of coffee in Chattanooga?
While technically not in Chattanooga, Wired Coffee Bar in Ooltewah is simply the best!

2. What was the last job you had before coming to ChattState?
I worked as the Learning Systems and Services Librarian at Cleveland State Community College for 7.5 years.

3. What is something you hope to accomplish by the end of the year?
I hope to establish a daily meditation practice.

4. What’s your favorite holiday?
A toss-up between Halloween and Christmas—Really I love the whole time of year between those two holidays.

5. What was the last book you read?
The Half-Mammals of Dixie by George Singleton was the last book I read. The last book I read that I couldn’t put down was The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry. It was such a lush and strange novel, but at over 400 pages, it is hard to convince people to read it!

6. Where are you going on your next vacation?
I haven’t made any reservations yet, but I dream about visiting Iceland. However, something a little closer to home is more likely, maybe Chicago or Washington, DC!

7. Do you have any pets?
My lovely kitty Maisy— She looks like a kitten although she is 7 years old.

8. Name one thing you think ChattState students should know about the library.
Students should know that we are a very non-judgmental space where they can seek help with research and technology.

9. What is your favorite sport?
I generally don’t like sports, but I will watch anything during the Olympics, especially Winter Olympics. Figure skating, bobsledding, ski jumping, whatever!

10. If you could be an animal for a day, what would you be?
I’d be a bird so I could learn what it feels like to fly. But I’d be a cute bird, like a finch.