Rebel Reader
NYU Capstone Thesis, 2024
A Literary Censorship Intervention
For my Master’s Thesis Project I designed an online platform that provides access to books that have been banned from middle and high school libraries. Through partnerships with local libraries and bookstores, readers are able to locate a book, read it, and engage in rewarding learning activities all while fighting for what they believe in.
The Problem
Books that provide diverse stories which allow students to see themselves in and learn from are being banned due to themes of race, gender, sexuality, history, and for critiquing class or social structure. School officials are removing books that support the growth of self-esteem, critical thinking skills, and an empathetic world-view.
Secondary Research
To demonstrate that book bans are a problem I started by analyzing research from PEN America and other sources dedicated to fighting against literary censorship. The results showed that thousands of books were removed from school shelves each year during 2021- 2022. Most of these targeted books tell stories about minority characters or social issues that highlight conflicting opinions. On top of that, organizations that study adolescent development collected data demonstrating the negative effects removing these diverse stories has on students’ development.
Based on this research I decided to design a website to help middle and high school students locate these books to read independently. The platform also focuses on offering activities that deepen their understanding of the stories and motivate them to keep reading.
Concept Testing
I used low fidelity prototypes of the platform to test the usefulness, interest, and style of Rebel Reader. Parents and educators were given a walkthrough of key features and asked questions related to the testing goals.
I learned that parents do not agree with most of the book bans and want to support their children discovering these stories, especially if their schools are not. They shared that as long as the platform is clear about its goals and methods. I was also able to gain useful feedback on the rewards system, questions during onboarding, and the design of the dashboard.
Development & Prototyping
Before prototyping I wanted to get a clear idea of which theoretical frameworks the features of the website would support. After reviewing my notes on different literature I decided on which theories best support my goals and placed them into a design rationale flowchart.
Low fidelity prototypes started out hand drawn using rapid prototyping and then made semi-interactive using Google Slides.
The final prototype was created using Google Sites.