October 22, 2016

No Joke: Toronto Public Library Was Asked to Pull Dr. Seuss Book ‘Hop on Pop’

We might never know whether or not someone was pulling a prank. However, because the complaint was filed and TPL considered it the Dr. Seuss title is now included on the Toronto Public Libraries official list of materials asked to be reconsidered.

From CTV News:

A popular tale by Dr. Seuss was one of seven books that patrons have asked Toronto Public Library to remove from its collection over the past year.

A library patron asked the library’s materials review committee to pull “Hop on Pop,” a children’s classic written in 1963, because of the book’s violent themes.

The complainant said the book encouraged children to use violence against their fathers, according to the document that listed books patrons have asked to be pulled from Toronto Public Library shelves, which was posted online Monday.

[Clip]

But the committee decided that the book was designed to engage children, and that the story actually advises children against hopping on their fathers.

The CTV report (and video) list other books that people asked to have removed from TPL’s collection during 2013.

You can also go direct to the Primary Document: “Materials Review Committee Reconsideration of Materials Summary – 2013″ (2 pages; PDF; via Toronto Public Library)

Gary Price About Gary Price

Gary Price (gprice@mediasourceinc.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. Before launching INFOdocket, Price and Shirl Kennedy were the founders and senior editors at ResourceShelf and DocuTicker for 10 years. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com, and is currently a contributing editor at Search Engine Land.

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