As to where it is coming from, it’s just a thought combined with feeling a bit argumentative. I think it doesn’t hurt to step out and try out a different line of thought.

Now, I’m a tiny bit confused as to where this is coming from, but here’s my response anyway. I think that librarians, especially, don’t celebrate book banning because it goes against the fundamental values of librarianship. That’s not to say that book banners don’t celebrate their successes. Have you ever heard of PABBIS(http://www.pabbis.com/)? It’s Parents Against Bad Books in Schools with a list of those “bad books” and how to get them out of your child’s school. They also have a ton of links with organizations that censor and information on how to “fight the dirty ALA.” It’s not an award, but it’s a site that celebrates book removals based on their value system.

If you click through their links on the website, there some pretty strong language (not dirty, dirty swear words, but calls to action) saying that they are sure and proud of their successes and battles which is what you were asking for in the post.

The second part is more of a highlighting of the book challenges. It seems like a lot of them suffer from a lack of visibility. I think an award might actually get people’s attention and bring something more to the table in terms of awareness.

And I’m fuzzy on what you’re getting at in the second part. Are you saying that the people involved and the books themselves benefit from the debate and discussion on what the book entails, the themes involved, etc.? If so, I believe that, yes, the discussion behind it can be beneficial, but mainly in regards to increasing the chance of people understanding one another through openness and understanding.

Second, it is not a matter of what we as librarians think, it is a matter of what the book challenger thinks. Whether I give $10,000 to a charity for homeless kids versus getting Forever removed from the shelf, I’m acting to improve the lives of kids in both cases. For the first, I would possibly get some recognition, but not for the second?

On the flip side, dont you think a little recognition for the challenges and the people behind them (and in turn the underlying rationales) provides it’s own value in showcasing book challenges and what they entail? Think on that one.