Banned Book Week
Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read, and this year it falls on September 27th to October 3rd. Banned Books Week spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools and to support the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. At a time where conspiracy theories, disinformation, and censorship run rampant, it is critical for us to remain vigilant to any attempts at censorship.
See the list of Top 10 Most Challenged Books
Banned book week offers an opportunity for you to voice your concerns on censorship and to support authors of banned books. Here are some virtual events for banned book week that fight censorship.
- Dear Banned Author Letter-Writing Campaign
- Write a letter or email to a banned and challenged author, sharing how their words have impacted you. Or reach out to a favorite banned or challenged author by tagging them on Twitter and including #DearBannedAuthor. Check Banned & Challenged Author Addresses & Twitter Handles for information on author addresses and Twitter handles.
- Stand for the Banned Read-Out
- Create a short video of you introducing one of the banned books on your favorite video sharing platform. Here are details for Stand for the Banned.
- Scary Stories Documentary Watch Party
- Q&A with the director, Cody Meirick, at 5:45 PM PST Oct 2nd on the Banned Books Week YouTube channel
Penrose Library is committed to academic freedom and adheres to guidelines endorsed by the American Library Association and their Intellectual Freedom Manual, 9th ed. You can find our Materials Challenge Policy on our website.