Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week is a celebration of the right to read, a right that needs to be protected year round.

No matter who you are, you can defend and support the right to read.

The First Amendment protects the freedom to read. Everyone is entitled to express their opinions about a book, but they don’t have the right to limit another person’s access to information. Censorship is most effective when people don’t know or defend their rights.

Attempts to ban books rarely succeed when people speak out against them. Here are a few ways you can speak out for banned and challenged books:

• Attend school board, PTA, or library meetings or public hearings where book challenges are being discussed, and be prepared to speak up for the First Amendment and the right to read.
• Write letters to your local administrators, politicians, and newspapers supporting the right to read. Remind your fellow citizens and officials that no one has the right to restrict access to books.
• Be prepared to stand up for all books, even those you may not like. Any successful book ban opens the door to more censorship.

Banned Books Week Reading Challenge
Sept. 22 – Oct. 13

Join the Banned Books Reading Challenge!
Celebrate the freedom to read by exploring challenged books from Sept. 22 – Oct. 13. Each challenged book you check out earns you a drawing ticket for our Banned Books Prize Baskets. Find books on display in Youth Services, Teen Loft, and Adult Services or ask a library staff member for recommendations. Log your checkouts in the Beanstack app or ask a staff member for help.
 
Dive into these powerful stories and be “Freed Between the Lines.”

Some Banned Books: Young Adult