'Fifty Shades of Grey'
Artist: E.L. James
Year: 2012
Date of Action: April-May 2012
Region: North America
Location: Brevard County, FL
Subject: Explicit Sexuality
Medium:
Confronting Bodies: Cathy Schweinsberg, Director of Library Services, Brevard County Public Libraries
Description of Artwork: When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.
The Incident: After the book's publication in April, the Brevard County library selection committee purchased 19 copies of Fifty Shades of Grey for its patrons. After becoming aware of the book's success, Director of Library Services Cathy Schweinsberg read the book and decided unilaterally to remove the book from circulation, notwithstanding the waiting list consisting over two-hundred people.
Schweinsberg told Florida Today's Britt Kennerly: "Nobody asked us to take it off the shelves. But we bought some copies before we realized what it was. We looked at it, because it’s been called ‘mommy porn’ and soft porn. We don’t collect porn."
Linda Tyndall, a Brevard County resident, created an online petition to restore the books to the libraries.
The National Coalition Against Censorship sent a letter to Scweinsberg as well as Brevard County Commissioners on May 9, 2012. On May 16, 2012 a joint letter was sent to the Advisory Board of the Brevard County PL on behalf of the NCAC, ABFFE, the PEN American Center, American Society for Journalists and Authors and the Independent Book Publishers Association.
Results of Incident: The Brevard County Public Library Board met on Wednesday, May 16 at 4:30 p.m. at the Titusville Public Library. At the meeting they discussed the book and patrons voiced their disagreement with the decision to remove the book. However, the board did not reconsider their decision to remove the book.