Who's afraid of the big, bad book?

Are library books bought to be circulated? Or to be hidden away so as not to offend anyone? Click on the title of the article to read what was in yesterday's New York Times about books that a patron or a librarian may have found offensive in some way.

A Library’s Approach to Books That Offend

Quotes from the article:

The 11 written objections to Brooklyn’s collection include complaints about “Beloved,” by Toni Morrison (sexual content), and “Looking for Alaska,” by John Green (obscenity and denigration of religion).

Twenty-seven books were banned, including Kay Thompson’s “Eloise in Paris,’’ whose heroine visits a museum with nude artwork.