School Library Journal looks at school and public libraries that aren’t adding potentially controversial books for young people to their collections.

In the first survey of its kind, School Library Journal (SLJ) recently asked 655 media specialists about their collections and found that 70 percent of librarians say they won’t buy certain controversial titles simply because they’re terrified of how parents will respond. Other common reasons for avoiding possible troublemakers include potential backlash from the administration (29 percent), the community (29 percent), or students (25 percent), followed by 23 percent of librarians who say they won’t purchase a book due to personal objections.

Oh, this is just the thing to brighten my day. The Boston Phoenix has created short MP3s of the crucial bits from Obama’s reading of his autobiography. Hear the President of the US say: “You know that guy ain’t shit. Sorry-ass motherfucker ain’t got nothing on me.” “There are white folks, and then there are ignorant motherfuckers like you.” “You ain’t my bitch, nigga! Buy your own damn fries!”

In his bestselling autobiography, Dreams From My Father, President Obama introduces us to his high school friend, “Ray,” who, like him, is bi-racial. Who, also like him, is casting about to find his place in the world. But, who, unlike him, has a potty mouth that would make a sailor blush.

Best of all? When reading the audiobook version of his bio, Obama does impressions of Ray’s manner of speech. Swear words and all. It’s fucking awesome.

{Via WFMU’s Beware of the Blog}

Oh, and here’s some YouTubeage of these bits:

On Metafilter, shmegegge writes:

Gravity’s Rainbow is a book that I’ve tried to read a couple of times. Every time it goes like this:

Oh hey! Man, I bet I could get through Gravity’s Rainbow this time! I do have a long train ride to work, after all! So what if it takes me a month or longer, I can handle that!

Oh wow! This is awesome! I totally forgot how great these beginning chapters are! I wonder what stopped me from finishing this all those other times?

Fuck, now I remember when my old art teacher told me to keep a little notebook with me so I can note everyone’s name and job and relationships to one another. I forget which scientist this guy is.

Ok, now who the fuck am I reading about? What’s all this with the sibling sex in chains and stuff? Shit, this is the hard part. This is the part that I’ve had trouble getting through in the past. I can do it, though! I can soldier through.

You know what? I don’t think this is my time to finish this book. I’m just way confused right now and I’m not even sure who the hell I’ve been reading about for the past 50 pages. I’m sorry Alan Moore, I know this is one of your favorite books and all, but shit I’m burned out. also, the crying of lot 49 sucked so this’ll probably suck, too. Yeah, I bet this book just sucks, anyway. Yeah, that’s it. This book sucks, that’s why I’m stopping.

A year or so later…

Oh hey! Man, I bet I could get through Gravity’s Rainbow this time!