Canceled Doctor Seuss books still available at the library

Doctor Seuss Enterprises, which controls publication rights for the works of the late children’s author, announced earlier this week that six of his books will be retired due to concerns over portrayals of ethnic and minority groups. Keweenaw Report can verify that at least one of those titles, On Beyond Zebra, is available at the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton. Interlibrary loans would open up the possibility of borrowing others.

Director Dillon Geshel refused to be recorded for this story, but did confirm that there had been no decisions on removing affected books from the shelves. Normally, retiring books occurs for reasons that have nothing to do with politics or divisive cultural issues. If a title is damaged beyond repair, staff have to make a decision on whether it is replaced and tend to look at metrics like level of circulation. If it is a popular offering, it stands a good chance at living on through a new edition. Its perceived cultural significance is also a factor. Classics are favored over regular fare. Making room for newly published works is another reason for why titles are often pulled.

Circulation Manager Susan Autio says titles are occasionally reviewed for whether they offend current sensibilities. She says locally, the portrayal of Indian cultures tends to be the most common reason for books to be removed using this criteria, given area demographics.

The six banned books have seen their value skyrocket at used bookstores and online shops. In some cases, the titles are going for several thousand dollars. That is a clue as to how the general population views the debate. Geshel says he is not aware of any complaints regarding Seuss books, nor have there been any calls or communications in support.