Laura Taddeo Joins Community Panel on Banned Books

by DENISE WOLFE

Laura Taddeo, head of the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Team at the University at Buffalo Libraries, recently participated as a panelist in "Blind Date with a Banned Book," a community event presented by Buffalo Toronto Public Media in partnership with Burning Books and the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library. Dozens of attendees browsed a curated selection of banned and challenged books — each wrapped in plain paper and marked only with a teaser — before a screening of "The Librarians," a new Independent Lens film exploring free expression, education and censorship.

Taddeo was joined on the panel by Ellen Rajnisz of Burning Books, Stephani Adams of Lawyer to Librarians and Susan Buttaccio of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library for a discussion following the film. Taddeo noted that working in a university setting affords librarians greater freedom than those in public or school libraries. "We concentrate on access vs. restriction," she said. "We have the freedom to acquire material that represents diverse viewpoints, even material that some view as controversial. But most importantly, we have the support of the administration to provide access to these books, which of course makes all the difference."