It may be the penultimate day of Banned Books Week, but there’s still plenty to do! Today’s edition of City Lit Theater’s Books on the Chopping Block is also available virtually! If you’re in New York City, brush up on your banned books trivia. Keep reading for more info.

Are you ready to take action to fight book bans?! Tomorrow is Let Freedom Read Day! We’re asking everyone everyone to do at least one thing to help fight book bans! Get ideas and resources here. (Protip: Bookmark the page so you can take action any day of the year!)

Be sure to visit the Banned Books Week events calendar for a full list of what’s happening today and throughout the week!

Banned Books Week Coalition Events

18th Annual BOOKS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK

In-Person & Virtual • DePaul University Library, 2350 N. Kenmore Ave., Chicago, IL • 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CDT

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Books on the Chopping Block is our annual 60-minute performance of dramatic readings of short excerpts taken from these books. City Lit has teamed up with the ALA in celebration of Banned Books Week since 2006, performing at special events, libraries and bookstores in and around Chicago…and virtually this year.​

City Lit Artistic Director Terry McCabe believes that concert readings of excerpts from challenged books actively celebrate the books most at risk, calling attention to the would-be censor’s threat to an educated democracy. “Our focus is literate theatre, so we are naturally concerned by attempts to keep books away from people,” McCabe says. “We are privileged to continue our alliance with the ALA in this important work.”

Friday, October 6, 2023 at 1:00PM – DePaul University Library, 2350 N. Kenmore Ave., Chicago, IL
*This performance is also available to view remotely.  Register free here.

Banned Books Week Panel & Trivia Sponsored by the NYC Book Hoes & Woodhull Freedom Foundation

66 Greenpoint Bar 66 Greenpoint Ave, Brooklyn, NY, United States • 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm EDT

Join your fellow book hoes for a night in celebration of Banned Books during Banned Book Week. The Woodhull Foundation in collaboration with NYC Book Club for Book Hoes will be hosting a panel discussion on banned books followed by a banned books trivia.

All attendees will receive a free copy of a banned book provided by Penguin Random House.

The night will begin with our panel of three speakers moderated by Mandy Salley, the Chief Operating Officer at the Woodhull Freedom Foundation. Trivia will be run by Zoë Mahler, creator of NYC Book Club for Book Hoes. 

Ongoing Events

Share a Banned Book in a Little Free Library!

Our mission at Little Free Library is to expand access to books – including banned books – and we invite you to join us! Sharing banned and challenged books in your local Little Free Libraries is a meaningful way to get books into readers’ hands, show your support for reading freedom, and do something positive in your community. Here’s how:

1) Share a banned book in a Little Free Library. Find Little Free Libraries near you using our free mobile app (littlefreelibrary.org/app/).

2) Snap a photo and post it on social media with #bannedbooksweek. Don’t forget to tag Little Free Library so we’re sure to see your photos!

3) Bonus: Little Free Library stewards can enter to win our Banned Books Week giveaway with HarperCollins Children’s Books, which will be open for entry during the month of October (littlefreelibrary.org/books/).

People For’s Banned Books Reading Challenge

In this challenge, every book you read (to a grandchild or on your own) gives you one “point,” and points can be traded in for free Grandparents For Truth swag! Supplies are limited so make sure to read early and often!

How You Can Join the Challenge

1. Sign up for the challenge here.
2. Pick a banned book off of our banned book reading list
3. Submit a photo or video of you (or you and a grandkid!) reading the banned book. If you post it to social, make sure you tag us (we’re @peoplefor on Twitter/X and Facebook and @peoplefor_ on Instagram)and use the hashtag #bannedbooks2023
4. Each photo or video you submit or tag us in is worth one point! Rack up points to get free Grandparents for Truth swag like tshirts, book marks, water bottles, and more!
5. Keep an eye on your inbox! At the end of October, we’ll reach out to you to see what swag you’d like.

Supplies are limited – so read early and often!