Banned Books Week

Hi All,

This week librarians all around the country are celebrating something very near and dear to our hearts!  Yes, you guessed it.  Banned Books Week.  Click on this link from the ALA - American Library Association - to learn more about Banned Books Week. The week is described by the ALA as 'celebrating the freedom to read'!

So, when does Banned Books Week actually take place?  From September 21-27, 2014. 

Did you know that....
1. Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read?

2. Usually it is held during the last week in September.

3. It highlights the value of free and open access to information - not just books!

4. Banned Books Week brings together the whole book community - which includes librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers and of course, readers of all types - in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas - even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

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

Click on this list of frequently challenged books!  Click on this formal site for Banned Books Week 2014.  There is information about censorship, events, a virtual read-out, videos+, resources and how to support Banned Books Week.

Enjoy the links! And read a great book on the list of banned books!  Or from this list of Banned Books - from CNN.

Regards and happy reading!,
Stu

Banned Books Week - September 22-September 28, 2013.

Hi All,

Banned books - you've read about them, you've heard about them.  And now you can learn about them in the news.  I just found an article in Google News entitled, 'North Carolina School Lifts Ban on Invisible Man' - which makes for a rather excellent segueway for this blog entry.

Click on this link - which goes to Amazon.com - where you can buy the book, read customer reviews about the book and more.  Not that I'm suggesting this is the only banned book...its not.  Witness this next link which if from Wikipedia and titled 'List of Most Commonly Challenged Books in the United States'.

You can also go to this link from the American Library Association which discusses 'Frequently Challenged Books'.  From this link you can also find other articles about  '30 Years of Liberating Literature Timeline',  'Banned/Challenged Classics', 'Top Ten Frequently Challenged Book Lists', '100 Most Frequently Challenged Books By Decade', ' Most Frequently Challenged Authors Pages of the 21st Century' and an 'Extended List of Books Banned or Challenged'.

As you might have guessed, the American Library Association is a proponent of banned books week.  No, they don't try to ban books...the ALA tries to educate the public about banned books, what the books are and how users can gain access so the books can be read.  Banned books are a topic of great interest to many librarians and many public libraries since freedom of speech is such an essential part of public libraries.   

That said, I had no idea that Banned Books week in 2013 was (is) from September 22nd through September 28th.  Users who want to learn more about the various challenges to library materials and how freedom of speech can be celebrated might want to visit this ALA website - the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom. 

OIF has sections' regarding the Mission, Responsibilities, Initiatives and Projects, Oversight Groups and Intellectual Freedom Links and Resources.  It is quite a comprehensive site - folks interested in freedom of speech and intellectual freedom would do well to visit the page.

Finally - and to bring the issue home - the Farmingdale Public Library has dedicated a pyramid display of banned books in the library.  That is, we have a display of books that were banned in other libraries.  The books are opposite the Circulation Desk when patrons walk in to the library. 

Enjoy the books and the links!

Regards,
Stu