During the ALA Annual Conference in July, Sage sponsored Banned Books From the Big Chair in partnership with the Banned Books Week Coalition and Unite Against Book Bans. Luke Marquez, Manager of Events at Sage, and Erika Isaly shared their thoughts on this emotional and uplifting initiative. We want to thank Sage, the participants, and all of the volunteers that helped make this happen!

At Sage, we believe that free expression in all forms is a basic human right, and we’re committed to promoting intellectual freedom in everything we do. This ethos drives us to publish and amplify the unique voices of scholars and educators that represent diverse populations and perspectives from across the globe.  

We are incredibly proud to show our support in the fight against censorship by sponsoring the “Banned Books from the Big Chair” booth at the American Library Association’s annual conference.  

It was an honor to continue our decade-long partnership with ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom into its 11th year, and support Unite Against Book Bans and the Banned Books Week Coalition in bringing the booth to life.  

Below, Luke and Erika — two Sage colleagues who assisted at this year’s event — share their account of the conference, along with some personal reflections about the impact of the “big chair.” 

Reflections from this year’s event 

Conference delegates were invited to perch on our larger-than-life big chair, select a passage from their favorite banned book, and read it aloud. Attendees were given the option to have their readings videotaped. 

Authors, educators, librarians, and book enthusiasts gathered at the booth throughout the two-day conference, creating a vibrant, bustling, and uplifting atmosphere. This encouraged many to pick up a book and participate, and we were delighted to see around 200 attendees and more than 12 authors read from the chair. 

In honor of this year’s host city, San Diego, we gave the chair a seaside vibe. An oversized, comfortable wooden Adirondack chair adorned with a beach towel and colorful cushions took center stage, and conference attendees enjoyed the decorative parasol, beach ball, bucket, and spade that added to the coastal theme.  

The beach décor certainly grabbed people’s attention, with lots of passersby stopping to check out the booth. But what struck us most about the event was the fact that, throughout the festivities, visitors never lost sight of the booth’s mission.  

Every time a person sat down to read, we were reminded of the immense value of free and open access to reading materials and the harm that censorship can bring. Readers struck a defiant tone as they narrated excerpts from texts with which they had deep personal connections. 

In a new addition to this year’s event, we encouraged guests to share what their chosen passage meant to them and why it’s important to read, buy, and promote banned books. 

This proved to be a profoundly emotional experience, with many getting teary when reflecting on the feelings of joy, connectedness, and belonging that these books had brought them. We cherish the meaningful moments that these recitals created; it was a privilege to witness these raw, honest testimonials. 

Among the guests we welcomed to the booth were Nigerian-American illustrator Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, award-winning author Susannah Kennedy, and Miss Black America, Gabrielle Wilson. 

Sonja Cherry-Paul, an author committed to advancing the work of antiracism with schools and organizations, stopped by with a reminder of the impact that books can have in the classroom. Her book Antiracist Reading Revolution is published by our very own Corwin imprint and helps educators implement antiracist reading practices that promote love, joy, community, justice, and solidarity. 

We feel an enormous sense of gratitude to everyone who stopped by the booth and shared their personal, emotional connections to banned books. 

Supporting the freedom to read: Next steps 

During Banned Books Week, September 22-28, recordings from the big chair will be made available on the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom Banned Books Week YouTube channel.  

The theme for this year’s Banned Books Week is “Freed Between the Lines.” With the number of books targeted for censorship reaching record levels in 2023, it’s now more important than ever to remind ourselves of the freedom found in books and what we stand to lose when our access to reading materials is restricted. 

Sage has organized an annual Banned Books Week webinar featuring researchers, scholars, and higher-ed faculty discussing the importance of academic freedom. A recording of last year’s live panel, “Navigating Threats to Academic Freedom,” is available to watch here. More information about this year’s webinar is forthcoming.  

If you’re an educator, librarian, parent, or guardian seeking to take a stand in the fight against book bans, we encourage you to take a look at Unite Against Book Bans’s Toolkit, where you’ll find resources on how to talk about book challenges, advice for attending library and school board meetings, tips for contacting the media, and more. 

Article by Joe Sweeny, Sage Corporate Communication Assistant.