Central Louisiana Technical Community College Library: Library Observations: September 18-24: Banned Books Week

What is Banned Books Week?

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores, and libraries. 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.

The History of Book Bans

Challenged Book Author Interview

Interview by Democracy Now with Art Spiegelman, the award-winning author of Maus: A Survivor's Tale.

Book Banning and Censorship in the News

NPR: Banned Books
Stories from National Public Radio (NPR) about banned books.
NPR: Books and Censorship
Stories from National Public Radio (NPR) about censorship.

Events Across the Web

Free Banned Books Week Event With Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Rep. Cori Bush
Check out "Free Banned Books Week Event With Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Rep. Cori Bush"
Alabama School Library Association
Celebrate your right to read! Join us for our Banned Books Week Webinar with Dr. Shannon Oltmann, Wednesday September 21, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. CST Sign up below and you will receive an email with login details 24 hours before the event.
FReadom Friday
Please join us tomorrow for our next #FReadom Friday! Share about someone who read to you, and what it meant to you! We look forward to hearing your stories about how #BooksUniteUs. @TxASL @ALALibrary @aasl @UABookBans

Use the hashtags #FReadom and #BooksUniteUs to participate on Twitter
FReadom on Twitter
Tweets about the FReadom to read

Censorship by the Numbers

Banned Book Week: September 18 - 24

The CLTCC Library does not ban books! The information provided here is to let you know what books have been banned/challenged elsewhere.

A Banned book has been removed from a library, classroom, etc.

A Challenged book has been requested to be removed from a library, classroom, etc.

Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2021-2022

Gender Queer by Mai Kobabe
Lawn Boy: A Novel by Jonathan Evison
All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin

For More Information

Banned Books FAQ - American Library Association
The American Library Association promotes the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinions even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular, and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those viewpoints to all who wish to read them. This website provides a list of frequently asked questions on banned and challenged books:
BannedBooksWeek.org
Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. 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.
Be an Advocate
Funding, broadband equity, and fair use of copyrighted material is more important than ever as libraries continue to serve their communities amid rapidly changing circumstances. Read an overview of some recent advocacy successes, including record levels of emergency funding and increased annual appropriations for federal library programs, thanks to the efforts from library advocates!
Library Bill of Rights
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

Content and images used in this LibGuide were provided by Banned & Challenged Books: A Website of the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom.