Banned Books Appreciation Week

Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week officially begins today! 

For library folks, we love to participate in this weeklong celebration of books, the freedom to read and of course, why banned books should NEVER occur.

In our Library Lobby -
 We have Harry Potter, To Kill a Mockingbird, Twilight, TTYL 

Why celebrate Banned Books Week?

The American Library Association regards Banned Books Week as:

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. 

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.

 In August 2012, the American Library Association released the top 10 contested books of 2011. 

A few of them surprised me and I cannot get over how people are still upset over To Kill a Mockingbird

2011 Most Contested Books as compiled by the ALA

1)      ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle Reasons: Offensive language; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group 

2)      The Color of Earth (series), by Kim Dong Hwa Reasons: Nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group 

3)      The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins  Reasons: Anti-ethnic; anti-family; insensitivity; offensive language; occult/satanic; violence 

4)      My Mom’s Having A Baby! A Kid’s Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy, by Dori Hillestad Butler Reasons: Nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group 

5)      The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie Reasons: Offensive language; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group 

6)      Alice (series), by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Reasons: Nudity; offensive language; religious viewpoint 

7)      Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley Reasons: Insensitivity; nudity; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit 

8)      What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones Reasons: Nudity; offensive language; sexually explicit 

9)      Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily Von Ziegesar Reasons: Drugs; offensive language; sexually explicit 

10)  To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee Reasons: Offensive language; racism 

*A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that a book or other material be restricted or removed because of its content or appropriateness.

For more information on this list and other challenged books, please see ALA's website

As a librarian and frankly, as a reader, I don't feel ANYONE has any right to tell me what to read or to prohibit me from reading what I want. 

Fight for your right - to read!

ttyl was the #1 most contested book of 2011

Read a banned book today  

Celebrate our freedom AND our right to read! 

Check back on Tuesday, October 2nd for a BBAW giveaway