Spring Break
Students debate banning books
Briana Hernandez
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: News
Yesterday's event was hosted by SJSU business Professor Annette Nellen as part of Banned Books Week.
Banned Books Week is also scheduled to include a performance of Allen Ginsberg's controversial poem, "Howl," by SJSU's Poet and Writers Coalition. The performance should take place near the Smith-Carlos statue at 11:30 a.m. today.
After the debate, Nellen said it was important for SJSU students to ask librarians how they choose books for the library and why certain materials are not available to them.
However, Dominie Garcia, a business professor who assisted Nellen with the event, said she would be surprised if there were any books that were banned at SJSU "because the purpose of a university is freedom of intellectual thought and discourse. It would kind of go against that."
Library Coordinator Feind said the criteria for selecting books for the library involves SJSU curriculum, publishers' catalogs and money allotted by the library budget.
"We work hard to support the curriculum of the university so that we have materials to support the things that students are studying," Feind said.
Banned Books Week is also scheduled to include a performance of Allen Ginsberg's controversial poem, "Howl," by SJSU's Poet and Writers Coalition. The performance should take place near the Smith-Carlos statue at 11:30 a.m. today.
After the debate, Nellen said it was important for SJSU students to ask librarians how they choose books for the library and why certain materials are not available to them.
However, Dominie Garcia, a business professor who assisted Nellen with the event, said she would be surprised if there were any books that were banned at SJSU "because the purpose of a university is freedom of intellectual thought and discourse. It would kind of go against that."
Library Coordinator Feind said the criteria for selecting books for the library involves SJSU curriculum, publishers' catalogs and money allotted by the library budget.
"We work hard to support the curriculum of the university so that we have materials to support the things that students are studying," Feind said.
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