Events Spotlight: September 24
What are you doing to celebrate Banned Books Week today? Here are a few suggestions for events around the country!
Be sure to visit the Banned Books Week event page at https://bannedbooksweek.org/events/, where you can find events happening all over the world! If you’re hosting an event, let us know about it by completing this form — we’ll add it to the map!
Don’t forget to tag @BannedBooksWeek and #BannedBooksWeek on Twitter and Facebook when you share your Banned Books Week adventures!
Let’s take a look at how people are celebrating today…
Banned Books Week Coalition Events
Banned Together
Joe’s Pub, New York, New York, 7:00 p.m. ET
Join the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund, in partnership with PEN America, as they present Banned Together: A Censorship Cabaret during Banned Books Week 2018 (September 23-29). This lively celebration of songs and scenes from shows that have been censored or challenged on the American stage raises awareness around issues of censorship and free expression in theater. The performances will feature selections from Chicago, Spring Awakening, Cabaret, Rent, and Angels in America, among other notable works. https://www.dldf.org/bannedtogether/
Banned Together: A Censorship Cabaret—Boston, Massachusetts
Boston Public Library, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. ET
Join the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund, in partnership with PEN America, as they present Banned Together: A Censorship Cabaret during Banned Books Week 2018 (September 23-29). This lively celebration of songs and scenes from shows that have been censored or challenged on the American stage raises awareness around issues of censorship and free expression in theater. The performances will feature selections from Chicago, Spring Awakening, Cabaret, Rent, and Angels in America, among other notable works, with contextual commentary by DLDF president John Weidman. Award winning director Ilyse Robbins will be directing the evening alongside a terrific cast.
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/banned-together-2018-boston-tickets-48878112751
Dear Banned Author Letter Writing Campaign (all week)
Dear Banned Author is a letter-writing campaign hosted by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. During Banned Books Week (September 23-29), readers are encouraged to write to their favorite banned or challenged authors, sharing what their stories meant to them. The goal of the campaign is to not only raise awareness of books that are threatened with censorship and support authors, but also encourage thoughtful discussions about the power of words and how essential it is to have access to a variety of viewpoints in libraries. Authors also have shared fan letters as support when there’s a public challenge to their books.
ALA OIF has a number of tools to facilitate programming around the Dear Banned Author Letter-Writing Campaign at http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/dear-banned-author
Project Censored (all week)
Project Censored will celebrate Banned Books Week with several guests representing a variety of perspectives on censorship and advocacy for the right to read. Find the show at the Project Censored website, https://projectcensored.org/, during Banned Books Week.
Other Events
Banned Books Week at Marist College: Uncensored Readings & Banned Book Bingo
September 24 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT
Marist College, 3399 North Rd.
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 United States
Join us for Banned Book Bingo and Uncensored Readings! Banned Book Bingo will take place on Monday, September 24th, 7 – 9:00 pm in the Cabaretand Uncensored Readings will be on Monday, September 24th and Tuesday, September 25th from 12 – 4:00 pm in the Library Lobby. If you would like to get involved as a reader, please email Emily.Doyle@marist.edu. Also, don’t forget to check out a book this month from our Banned Books display that will be on the main floor of the library during Banned Books Week! More info…
Books on the Chopping Block
September 24 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CDT
Free Dramatic Readings by City Lit Theater Company of excerpts from the Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books in America, as compiled by the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual freedom.
Today’s event:
Monday 9/24, 6:30PM – Budlong Woods Library
5630 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL
Pushing Boundaries: Hidden History Walking Tour
September 24 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm EDT
Mid-Manhattan Library at 42nd Street, 476 5th Avenue (Entrance on 42nd Street)
New York, NY 10018 United States
In honor of Banned Books Week, discover the sometimes scandalous history hidden in plain sight in midtown Manhattan. Librarians will lead a tour of landmarks in and around Bryant Park. Rain or Shine. Space is limited | Open to Adults 18 and over. Advanced registration is required: Pushing Boundaries: Hidden History Walking Tour
Banned Books Trivia
September 24 @ 5:15 pm – 8:00 pm MDT
MAP Brewing Co, 510 Manley Rd.
Bozeman, MT 59715 United States
Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. As part of the week’s activities, ACLU Montana, Bozeman Public Library, Country Bookshelf and MSU Library have partnered to host Banned Books Trivia at MAP Brewing. The free event is part of Map’s Community Pint Night and 50 cents from each beer sold will be donated to the Freedom to Read Foundation. Kent Davis, writer, actor, and Montana State University Honors College faculty member, will MC the event and Jessica Hahl of Country Bookshelf will co-host. More info…
Edible Banned Books Festival
September 24 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm EDT
Handley Library, 100 West Piccadilly St.
Winchester, VA 22604 United States
Professional and amateur bakers unite against the attempts to ban books! Create a banned book cake masterpiece. Some materials provided. Local patrons and community partners will vote for noteworthy banned book delicacies and bid on their favorite cakes to then take home as we celebrate our freedom to read. All money raised will be donated to Literacy Volunteers of the Winchester Area. More info…
Banned Books Bingo
September 24 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm EDT
Ezra Lehman Memorial Library, 1871 Old Main
Shippenburg, PA 17257 United States
Join us for bingo, banned books style! The first 10 attendees will receive a banned-books week button. More info…
Banned Books Picnic
September 24 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm EDT
Central Branch Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22201 United States
Join us after work to hang out with your friends and listen to passages from challenged and banned books, read by some of your favorite librarians.
Bring your blanket and a picnic dinner! The Picnic will be held in Quincy Park, on the lawn between the Central Library Auditorium and the soccer field. In the event of rain, we will move to the Auditorium. Please note: This event is for adults and mature teens only. More info…