From Interviews to Illustrations: Uncovering Censorship with the Canadian Literary Censorship Project

I had the privilege of participating in the Canadian Literary Censorship Project as an illustrator and researcher. My responsibilities included contacting connections within the public library system in Southern Ontario, documenting their experiences with censorship, and later on, creating illustrations for the data we collected to disseminate this information.

After speaking with various librarians, I was surprised and impressed by their dedication to protecting freedom of speech. I was shown the Statement of Intellectual Freedom and the Intellectual Rights of the Individual which guides the libraries in their commitment to protecting this freedom. I found it very admirable that even after facing harassment from people who disagreed with content in the library, librarians still continue to protect this right and ensure information is free and available for the general public to consume.

Through this experience I was also impressed by the writers, researchers, and artists I worked alongside. From my colleagues, I was able to become more knowledgeable on not only real world literary issues, but fundamental skills such as collaboration, how to conduct interviews, and proper research procedures. I was also fortunate enough to be working with a team that inspired collaboration naturally. Everyone worked together to create a work environment that was open and non-judgmental about any ideas pitched. Everyone’s opinions were respected and considered which made for a very productive creative environment.

I am grateful to have been able to meet everyone on the team and create something we can be proud of!