The 2013 celebration of Banned Books Week starts today! You can celebrate from September 22nd to September 28th with us at the library, at home and at school.
You've never heard of Banned Books Week? Banned Books Week is a national effort to celebrate the freedom to read and highlight issues of censorship and free and open access to information. What exactly does censorship mean? Censorship is the suppression of speech or other public communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, politically incorrect or inconvenient by someone. This someone could be a school principal, a parent or a library patron that decides a book is harmful or inappropriate to read and doesn't want it to be available for anyone else to read either. This event brings together all aspects of the book community, everyone from librarians, booksellers, teachers and readers show support for the freedom to express ideas and read whatever you choose.
The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. Many books have been and continue to be banned across the country even today but part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that in many cases the majority of the challenged books have remained available. Thanks to librarians, teachers and community members who speak up for the freedom to read many controversial or challenged books remain available for children and adults to read.
For more information head to the Banned Books Week website or stop at the American Library Association's Banned Books Week website. Both sites have lists of frequently challenged books, virtual read-out videos, and many resources.

Stop in the library this week to check out our display of banned and disputed juvenile books in the Children's Department. Snag a title to take home, it's a great way to celebrate your freedom to read!