An Indianapolis area library might place author John Green’s novel “The Fault in Our Stars” back in its young adult (YA) section, citing its removal as a potential mistake.
In a statement sent to 13News on Sunday, the Hamilton East Public Library’s board president Laura Alerding said she believes the removal of Green’s book “The Fault in Our Stars” was an “error,” adding that the board will review what went wrong in the review process at the next public board meeting, which is scheduled for Aug. 24.
“Upon reviewing the page(s) of ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ book that were the basis of the Director’s and review staff’s reason to move the book out of the Teen section, I believe there was an error in implementing the Collection Development Policy and that this book should be moved back to the Teen section immediately,” Alerding said in the statement.
Last week, the Indianapolis area library in Fishers and Noblesville, Indiana, released a list of books removed or moved from its YA sections since July. The list, which included two of Green’s books, is a part of the library’s new policy to review, remove and move books from the YA section deemed not “age appropriate” for minors.
The list prompted backlash online from fans of Green’s books — as well as Green himself. On Aug. 9, Green responded to news of his book’s removal in a series of tweets, calling it “ludicrous” and “an embarrassment to the city” of Fishers. Later that day, he emailed the library’s board condemning their actions.
“I am absolutely horrified by the decision of some members of your board to override a huge body of expertise and deem hundreds of books — including mine — inappropriate to be shelved as Young Adult Literature,” he wrote in the email.
“It’s political theater of the lowest and most embarrassing order, and it’s an awful way to have Fishers and Noblesville make national news,” he added.
On Monday, Green responded to the library’s statement about his book’s removal, pointing out that his other book, “Looking for Alaska,” along with several other notable works, are still no longer shelved in the library’s YA section.
“Cool. What about my other books and hundreds of other YA titles? Award-winning classics of YA lit by everyone from Nic Stone to Judy Blume continue to be wrong shelved by a ridiculous policy that embarrasses Central Indiana,” he tweeted on Monday.
He continued: “Change the policy not just for [The Fault in Our Stars], but for all.”
Alerding did not immediately respond to JS’s request for further comment on Green’s most recent statements.
In December, the library implemented a policy that called for an extensive book review process to assess the age-appropriateness of books in the children and teen sections of the library.
Under the policy, age-appropriateness is determined based on criteria related to nudity, alcohol and drug use, violence, sexual content, profanity and criminal acts. Any books deemed not age-appropriate for minors would be removed from the YA section and relocated to the adult section.
The review process was estimated to cost up to $300,000 and expected to impact “more than 18,000 books,” according to IndyStar. The Indiana library’s YA section was near-empty by April because of the policy and review process, with books about puberty, comics and “Forever” by Judy Blume stripped from the shelves.
As of July 27, the review process has quite a ways to go, with 74.4% of the library’s books awaiting review.