Events Spotlight: September 27
Just a few days left in Banned Books Week! How are you celebrating the right to read? 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
Image Comics Livestream: Grace Ellis
Twitch, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET
Image Comics is celebrating Banned Books Week with Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and The Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table of the American Library Association by producing a week of Library Livestreams featuring creators Nick Dragotta (EAST OF WEST), Grace Ellis (MOONSTRUCK, Lumberjanes), Pornsak Pichetshote (INFIDEL), Charles Soule (CURSE WORDS), and Skottie Young (I HATE FAIRYLAND, BULLY WARS, MIDDLEWEST).
Simply visit the Image Comics Twitch page at https://www.twitch.tv/imagecomics. All webinars will run from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. EST and will include a discussion between moderator and creator for 40-45 minutes; followed by 15-20 minutes of Q&A participation with live audience. No registration is required to view these livestreams.
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.
Penguin Random House Instagram Sweepstakes Benefitting We Need Diverse Books (all week)
This year, Penguin Random House is highlighting quotes from books that have been challenged or banned in a social media sweepstakes competition, open to participants who repost these quotes or tag a friend and comment with the hashtags #BannedBooksWeek and #Sweepstakes. For every entry, Penguin Random House will donate one book – up to 5,000 total – to We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.
To participate in this campaign, follow @PenguinRandomHouse on Instagram.
Other Events
Lifting the Curtain: Theatre and Censorship (British Library)
September 27 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm BST
Knowledge Centre, The British Library, 96 Euston Road
London, NW1 2DB United Kingdom
With Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Richard Eyre, Gillian Slovo and Ella Hickson
50 years since the Lord Chamberlain was stripped of his power to censor plays, we examine playwriting in the UK and freedom of expression.
Join director Richard Eyre and playwrights Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Gillian Slovo and Ella Hickson, to explore the development of British playwriting since the end of censorship in 1968. They consider the circumstances which led to the end of theatre censorship, whether the change in legislation heralded a change in artistic expression at the end of the 1960s, and notable productions which have caused controversy since. Has censorship in this country continued despite the end of legislation? In what other ways do writers today find what they want to say shaped and manipulate by others? More info…
Indy Celebrates the Freedom to Read!
September 27 @ 12:00 pm – October 2 @ 8:00 pm EDT
Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, 340 N Senate Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46260 United States
The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library is celebrating the freedom to read and expression of ideas during Banned Books Week! This year, Ball State University English professor Rai Peterson will be living in the front window of KVML as our prisoner. For the entire week she will be imprisoned behind a wall of banned books, while joining the community in exploring censorship and challenged works. More info…
Lunch+Learn with Laura Moriarty: Censorship
September 27 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm CDT
Ellen Plumb’s City Bookstore, 1122 Commercial Ave.
Emporia, KS 66801 United States
Banned Books Week is recognized Sept. 23-29, 2018. New York Times bestselling author Laura Moriarty will speak about censorship. More info…
Panel Discussion
September 27 @ 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm PDT
Mt. San Antonio College Library, 1100 N. Grand Ave
Walnut, CA 91789 United States
In this panel discussion, two presenters will discuss unique aspects of silencing voices:
- The Long Civil Rights/Chicanx Movement
- Four Dangerous Works
There will be time for Q&A following the presentations. More info…
Celebrating All Stories
September 27 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm CDT
Cambridge Public Library – O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave
Cambridge, MA 02140 United States
Come to a family read-out in celebration of Banned Books Week, an annual celebration of the freedom to read. Activities for a range of ages will relate to intellectual freedom and opposing censorship. More info…
Books on the Chopping Block
September 27 @ 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm CDT
Multiple, Chicago, IL United States
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 events:
Thursday, 9/27, 4:00PM – Lincoln-Belmont Branch – Chicago Public Library
1659 W. Melrose St., Chicago, IL
Thursday 9/27, 7:00PM – Evanston Public Library
1709 Orrington Ave., Evanston, IL
Banned Books Out Loud at the Cranston Public Library
September 27 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm EDT
William Hall Library, 1825 Broad Street
Cranston, RI 02905 United States
The ACLU of RI and Cranston Public Library are honoring Banned Books Week (September 23-29) and the freedom to read with an event to educate people about books, the first amendment and censorship. The program will feature Rhode Island authors reading short passages from their favorite banned books. This program is free and open to the public.
Our confirmed participants include:
Adam Braver
Mary Cappello
Thalia Field
Rick Moody
Eleni Sikelianos
Mike Stanton
Glenn Stout
Jean Walton
Michael Willhoite
A brief Q&A will follow the readings. This program is free and open to all. Light refreshments will be served. More info…
Exploring Freedom of Expression
September 27 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm EDT
Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514 United States
Chapel Hill Public Library hosts a lively conversation about the importance of intellectual freedom, the negative effects of censorship, and the need for authentic voices and storytelling in all forms of writing. Featured speakers include Author Dr. Zelda Lockhart and Cartoonist/Rapper/Multimedia Artist Keith Knight. More info…
Banned Bookopoly
September 27 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm EDT
Cuyahoga County Public Library Beachwood Branch, 25501 Shaker Blvd
Beachwood, OH 44122 United States
Celebrate Banned Books Week and test your knowledge of challenged books. Come prepared to participate in challenges, journey through a giant board game and maybe win a prize. Light snacks served.
Register here: http://cuyahoga.libnet.info/event/785322?registration=true
Banned Books Quiz V
September 27 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm AKDT
49th State Brewing Co., 717 W 3rd Ave
Anchorage, AK 99501 United States
It’s time for our Fifth Annual Banned Books Pub Quiz! Join Anchorage Public Library as we celebrate our freedom to discover! This year’s pub quiz promises to be better than ever. Questions will cover all areas of censorship throughout history, so be prepared for anything. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Not Last, and Best Team Name. Teams should have no more than eight people. In the spirit of Banned Books Week, this quiz will not be censored. Expect strong language and imagery. More info…