Banned Books Week has found a new home: Sweden! The Swedish celebration of the right to read takes place on October 9–15, 2023. Banned Books Week Sweden will highlight literature that is or has been banned in different parts the world.
The week is coordinated by Swedish PEN in partnership with the Dawit Isaak-library in Malmö and is done in proud collaboration with libraries, bookshops, schools, and organizations from all over the country. Banned Books Week Sweden has the commitment of more than 200 participating organizations, with additional requests to join coming in every hour.
Even if the situation in Sweden differs from the surge in book bans that has occurred in the United States, Sweden is experiencing an escalating level of hate speech and threats directed at those who write, and the public discourse is becoming more polarized. This week, DIK — the union for people who work within culture, communications, and the creative sector — released a report stating that 28% of librarians have experienced pressure during the last two years from members of the public or politicians to influence what books are available in the library or what activities are carried out[1] .
But the raison d’être for Banned Books Week Sweden is also found in international connectedness. If books are being banned in other parts of the world, it affects us all. When information is restricted, people are left with a more dangerous and polarized world where antidemocratic forces can gain ground.
And as the charter of PEN states: “Literature knows no frontiers.” International solidarity and collaboration have been a core value of PEN’s work for more than 100 years. With Banned Books Week Sweden, we are proud to find new methods to celebrate this legacy in a way that encourages more people to get involved in discussing and working against the threats against freedom of expression. For the Dawit Isaak Library – which collect and make available banned and censured books to the public all year round – this campaign raises awareness of banned books and the library’s mission.
Please check out the hashtag #bannedbooksweeksverige to find out more about what is happening in classrooms, book shops and libraries this week.
With book bans on the rise, it is absolutely essential that people do something — anything — to defend books from censorship in their communities. This final day of Banned Books Week is Let Freedom Read Day — do at least one thing today to fight censorship! Keep reading for day of action ideas and more Banned Books Week programs!
Spotlight: Let Freedom Read Day
The freedom to read is under attack — let’s do something about it! Whether you have 5 minutes or an hour or more, there’s plenty you can do to fight. Visit the Let Freedom Read Day page for ideas, a downloadable one-sheet, and social media assets that you can use to let the world know you took action today!
Show us how you’re taking action on social media by using the hashtags #LetFreedomReadDay and #BannedBooksWeek!
And don’t forget: Censorship won’t stop just because Banned Books Week does — you can take action any day of the year!
John H. Dickerson Community Center, 308 Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL • 10:00 am – 2:00 pm EDT
The New Republic is launching a bold new initiative to combat censorship and celebrate the First Amendment to coincide with Banned Books Week October 1–7, 2023. This fall, we are taking it on the road, sending a bookmobile to distribute books in states that have witnessed the highest incidents of banned books, including Texas, Florida, Missouri, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
We will launch our journey at the Brooklyn Book Festival on October 1 where we will accept book (and financial) donations with special help from our partners at House of SpeakEasy via the SpeakEasy Bookmobile.
Our “festival on wheels” will connect with communities, authors, bookstores, libraries, and local leaders to celebrate the freedom to read.
BookPeople 603 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX, United States • 10:30 am – 2:00 pm CDT
In partnership with Book People, The Child Defense Fund of Texas, and the Austin Public Library, PEN America Austin will celebrate Banned Book Month 2023 on October 7 at Book People by demonstrating the magical power of reading. With legislature like Texas House Bill 900 threatening students’ access to books, PEN Austin is inviting local writers, readers, and free expression advocates to honor the magic of their unique stories.
This day of celebration for the magical power of reading will have two sections that will allow Austin residents to reflect on how integral books are to our identity and our ability to express ourselves. Staff from the CDF and APL will be on hand to supply writers, readers, and free expression advocates of all ages with the materials and knowledge to produce their own zine and bookmarks via a production workshop. Magician Nicole Cardoza will demonstrate the transformative power of words with a magic show. Lastly, the PEN America Freedom to Read team will present research findings about the book ban crisis and its effects on Texas students, schools, libraries, and booksellers. PEN America will be joined by local coalition leaders who are pushing back against book bans in defense of the freedom to read. Leaders like Carolyn Foote of FReadom Fighters will talk about ways to get involved locally in your own schools and communities.
This month, we’re hitting the road with the Freedom to Read Foundation, Pen America, and Little Free Library to hand out copies of banned books in some of the most affected communities.
Explore this this site to see whether the Banned Wagon is coming to a city near you, learn about the books we’ll be handing out, and explore more resources to fight book bans!
River Forest Public Library, 735 Lathrop Ave., River Forest, IL • 2:00 p.m. 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.
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/).
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!
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
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!
Keep an eye on your inbox! At the end of October, we’ll reach out to you to see what swag you’d like.
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!)
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.
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.
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/).
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!
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
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!
Keep an eye on your inbox! At the end of October, we’ll reach out to you to see what swag you’d like.
It’s Thursday, and Banned Books Week is running strong with student advocates! Hot off his livestream with Honorary Chair LeVar Burton, Youth Honorary Chair Da’Taeveyon Daniels will take the spotlight today with a program featuring student leaders from around the country!
Also in the mix today: The Banned Wagon hits the Big Easy, the online debut of Ibram X. Kendi’s moving Rally for the Right to Read speech, Carmen Maria Machado on banned books, Reading with Love, children’s book authors on fighting censorship, and more!
Are you ready to take action to fight book bans?! Saturday is Let Freedom Read Day, and 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!)
Some of the strongest voices in the fight against book bans are the students that censors claim they are protecting. Join Banned Books Week Youth Honorary Chair Da’Taeveyon Daniels for an inspiring roundtable discussion about youth advocacy in South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, and how that work can inform opposition to censorship around the country. Join us on Facebook (@BannedBooksWeek) or register here.
This month, we’re hitting the road with the Freedom to Read Foundation, PEN America, and Little Free Library to hand out copies of banned books in some of the most affected communities.
Explore this this site to see whether the Banned Wagon is coming to a city near you, learn about the books we’ll be handing out, and explore more resources to fight book bans!
Join Penguin Random House, Booklist, and Unite Against Book Bans for a special Banned Books Week event as we premiere the video of Ibram X. Kendi’s motivating and moving speech from Rally for the Right to Read at the 2023 ALA Annual Conference. Introduced by Tracie D. Hall, Executive Director of the American Library Association, in conversation with Chris Jackson, EVP, Publisher, & Editor-in-Chief of One World—this hour-long webinar will celebrate the right to read and librarians’ role in providing access for all. Representatives from Unite Against Book Bans will also join the webinar to share resources and offer a myriad of ways that viewers can join in the fight for the freedom to read.
Ten lucky LIVE webinar attendees will win a full set of Ibram X. Kendi’s books for their library. Register now!
Utah Museum of Fine Arts 410 Campus Center Drive, Salt Lake City, UT • 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. MDT
Join PEN Utah on October 5th as Carmen Maria Machado joins the Tanner Humanities Center for a Banned Books Week conversation about her work and being an LGBTQIA+ author. She will be joined by Jeremy Rosen, Associate Director for Faculty at the Tanner Humanities Center and Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Utah.
Book signing to follow. Books will be available to purchase from Under the Umbrella Bookstore.
As anti-LGBTQ+ legislation sweeps the nation, our schools, libraries, and other story-telling spaces are being attacked on the basis of “protecting the children.” Countless books have been banned as a result, attempting to block—and thereby, extinguish—any mention of LGBTQ+ experiences and identities.
But these books go beyond LGBTQ+ narratives—they’re glowing messages of love and role models for living life as your best, most authentic self.
In what world should these messages be censored?
On October 5, from 6-7 pm ET, we’re sharing these messages of love through the voices of our most vivacious, glamorous, and fearless community members: drag artists. Bringing these stories to life are local drag talent Coco Sho-Nell, Emi Grate, Mister Max, and Nancy Nogood, whose authenticity in themselves mirrors the authenticity in these stories.
The Reading with Love Live broadcast is a family-friendly read aloud geared towards children ages 5-8, with topics including the gender binary, trans children, parents of the same gender, and the history of the Gay Pride flag.
Let’s come together and help our kids see a bright and loving future.
The American Library Association (ALA) and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) have joined forces to inform and educate the public about the challenges with book banning in the United States. The special edition SCBWI digital workshop, entitled “Free People Read Freely: How Children’s Book Creatives Can Fight Book Banning” will take place on Thursday, October 5, at 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET on Zoom. Click here to register. This digital workshop is free and open to the public.
SCBWI will host speaker Joyce McIntosh, Assistant Program Director for the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), an organization dedicated to First Amendment education, litigation, and advocacy. McIntosh will discuss ways creators of books for children, teens, and young adults can address the current surge in challenges to books for young people.
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/).
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!
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
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!
Keep an eye on your inbox! At the end of October, we’ll reach out to you to see what swag you’d like.
An interview and discussion with Weston Brown at Buffalo’s Crane Branch Library.
Weston will discuss growing up homeschooled and denied books with representation, being cut off from his family after coming out, and his rise as an advocate for books against a mother determined to erase queer representation from schools and libraries.
Join us at Dungeon’s Gate Saturday October 7, from 10-10 & help us celebrate Banned Books Week *AND* Olive’s 4th Birthday at our Banned Books & Birthday Bones Bash!!!
Enjoy Birthday Bone Treats!
Join Olive for a Banned Books Read-In, at 1 PM & at 4 PM, featuring banned picture books: Red, A Crayon’s Story and Where The Wild Things Are, plus: The Great Banned Books Bake Sale and This Book is Banned.
Take home a Free Banned Books Bookmark & Journal!
Learn about book bans & how YOU can fight them!
Enjoy 20% Off all Banned Books & Accessories!
Celebrate Olive’s Bday by helping other pets…Please drop off donations for Rescue Rehab Rehome! Wishlist: Puppy Dry Food, Kitten Canned Food, Sheets & Towels, Bleach, Paper Towels, Dog Treats & Toys ***WE’LL HAVE A COLLECTION BIN AT DUNGEON’S GATE OCTOBER 1-8***
Today is the day! Our Honorary Chair LeVar Burton will join us live on Facebook for a conversation with our Youth Honorary Chair Da’Taeveyon Daniels. Don’t miss this knowledge! You can also catch programs with John Green (The Fault in Our Stars), Mike Curato (Flamer), Brad Meltzer (I Am Rosa Parks), and more. Keep reading for details…
TOMORROW: Don’t miss our A Seat at the Table, a conversation with youth advocates lead by Youth Honorary Chair Da’Taeveyon Daniels! The event starts at 8:00 p.m. EDT. You can register here.
Actor, director, literacy advocate—and Banned Books Week 2023 Honorary Chair—LeVar Burton will discuss his anti-censorship work with Banned Books Week Youth Honorary Chair Da’Taeveyon Daniels during this rare live event, which will stream on Facebook.
Follow @BannedBooksWeek, and join us October 4, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. EDT / 7:00 p.m. CDT / 6:00 p.m. MDT / 5:00 p.m. PDT.
This year IFLA’s Management of Library Associations (MLAS), in collaboration with the Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression Advisory Committee (FAIFE), will be organizing a webinar to discuss access to information under siege across the world, as well as best practices and strategies from library associations and librarians.
As in previous years, this October 1-7 of 2023, we commemorate “Banned Books Week,” an initiative from the American Library Association that seeks to bring 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.
Librarians across the world are facing unprecedented situations related to the defense of access to information and intellectual freedom. Library leaders from different regions will be taking a look at the current global situation, discussing how to manage crises, and how to build support networks for libraries and librarians. As part of the event, resources developed by library associations will be shared on the event’s page.
The last few years have seen an unparalleled attack on the right to read and organized campaigns against certain types of literature and programming in public and school libraries. No one person or organization can face this fight alone, and we all need to take direct action to combat censorship. Join author John Green (Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars), writer and illustrator Mike Curato (Flamer), librarian and Texas FReadom Fighters co-founder Becky Calzada, and Banned Books Week Youth Honorary Chair Da’Taeveyon Daniels for a conversation about the impact of book bans and the ways in which they have taken action to fight censorship. The program will close with a short Q&A. Sign up here.
2023 has seen a steep rise in book bans and censorship in classrooms and school libraries across the United States.
Queens Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and the New York Public Library are dedicated to free and open access to information and knowledge—a mission that is directly opposed to censorship.
On Wednesday, October 4, during Banned Books Week, New York City’s libraries invite you to join us on social media in support of the freedom to read!
Books can build bridges, introduce us to new perspectives, and show us we are not alone.
Join us on October 4 to celebrate the power of books, reading, and public libraries—and stand for the #FreedomToRead!
MLK Library, 901 G St NW, Washington DC • 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. EDT
The New Republic is launching a bold new initiative to combat censorship and celebrate the First Amendment to coincide with Banned Books Week October 1–7, 2023. This fall, we are taking it on the road, sending a bookmobile to distribute books in states that have witnessed the highest incidents of banned books, including Texas, Florida, Missouri, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
We will launch our journey at the Brooklyn Book Festival on October 1 where we will accept book (and financial) donations with special help from our partners at House of SpeakEasy via the SpeakEasy Bookmobile.
Our “festival on wheels” will connect with communities, authors, bookstores, libraries, and local leaders to celebrate the freedom to read.
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @newrepublic #TNRBookmobile #TNRStandsWithTheBanned and Eventbrite.
London – Hatchards – Piccadilly 187 Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom • 8:00 p.m. BST
Join Malu Halasa and Ramita Navai here at Hatchards this evening for an event chaired by Index on Censorship editor-in-chief Jemimah Steinfeld to celebrate the launch of the book “Woman Life Freedom”.
The murder of Mahsa Amini on 16 September 2022 by Iran’s morality police sent shockwaves throughout the country. Protests led by women spread to ninety cities in all of Iran’s provinces. Videos on social media showed women in the streets with their hair uncovered, burning headscarves and even cutting their own long hair. Men soon joined the protests. Schoolgirls defaced portraits of religious leaders. Cries of Zan Zendegi Azadi in Farsi – Woman Life Freedom – echoed in mass demonstrations, which continue today. Woman Life Freedom captures this historic moment in artwork and first-person accounts by courageous women, including those too scared to reveal their true identities because of a repressive and vindictive regime. Featuring art, music and photography from the protests, this moving and inspiring anthology exposes hardship, hope and empowerment in modern-day Iran.
As part of the launch of Woman Life Freedom, marking Banned Books Week, this event will discuss the Iran protests over the last year and will ask what has happened. With reports of the morality police back on the streets and protesters locked away, some even executed, what positive change has occurred, if any? The event will also launch Index’s Autumn Magazine, which covers the rise of the religious right, religious blasphemy and its impact on freedom of expression, with a focus on Iran amongst other countries.
Books & Books 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, United States • 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm EDT
LGBTQ-themed books are under profound attack in the United States. They are challenged in droves and are decreed off-limits by school boards, legislators, and prison authorities. In PEN’s report “Banned in the USA: The Mounting Pressure to Censor,” during the 2022–23 school year, PEN America recorded 3,362 instances of books banned, an increase of 33 percent from the 2021–22 school year, with over 40 percent of all book bans occurring in school districts in Florida. 78% of the books banned are listed as young adult, middle grade, and picture books.
Join PEN Miami/South Florida and Books & Books for a vital conversation with New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer, whose books I am Rosa Parks and I am Martin Luther King Jr. have been challenged in schools across the country, and author Camryn Garrett, whose books feature celebrations of blackness and queerness. They will discuss the movement to ban books by and about LGBTQ people, particularly books aimed at younger audiences, and how to resist the censorship taking over our schools and libraries.
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/).
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!
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
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!
Keep an eye on your inbox! At the end of October, we’ll reach out to you to see what swag you’d like.
If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, please join us for the opening of Arion’s final exhibition of 2023: (un)BANNED. Ten premier local artists will present a diverse array of work celebrating the power of books to expand imaginations, open paths to empathy, and act as bulwarks against fear and misunderstanding. The dramatic rise in the attempts to ban books from library shelves and classrooms across the country has thrust the vital role of books into the public eye. Books about racism, sexuality, gender, and religion and those written by authors of color, women, and members of the LQBTQ+ community are often most in the line of fire.
Arion’s Curator-in-Residence Tamsin Smith has commissioned this timely creative response as a way to challenge these threats to freedom of expression and to celebrate the authors whose words have withstood censorship. Come meet the artists: Donald Bradford, Sam Claude Carmel, Sahar Khoury, Maia Kobabe, Judith Selby Lang, Richard Lang, Kija Lucas, Michelle Yi Martin, Brian Singer, and Jean Pettigrew Whelan.
Come out to celebrate the premiere of (un)BANNED at the Arion Press Gallery in the Presidio on Saturday, October 14th from 6-8 p.m. Drinks and light refreshments will be served.
The exhibition runs from October 14 through December 15.
Join us for a panel discussion on books, censorship, and intellectual freedom with indie bookseller Nicole Sullivan and library director Dennis Quinn. This is a hybrid event; attend in-person at Arapahoe Community College Littleton Campus or virtually via Zoom at https://arapahoe-edu.zoom.us/j/82762544445
Nicole Sullivan is the owner of The Bookies bookstore and BookBar Press. She is also the President and founder of BookGiver, a non-profit providing Colorado individuals and organizations with gently used book donations.
Dennis Quinn is the Library Director for the Edwin A Bemis Public Library in Littleton, CO, where he has served since June 2023. Prior to this role, he was involved in public library administration in Texas for more than a decade. He holds an MS in Library Science from the University of North Texas.
Banned Books Week day three: not one, but two, bookmobiles get the day started, and you can wrap up the day with an amazing virtual program hosted by City Lights Bookstore! Keep reading for a look at today’s events.
TOMORROW: Don’t miss Banned Books Week Honorary Chair LeVar Burton, live on Instagram at 8:00 p.m. EDT! And our Yourh Honorary Chair Da’Taeveyon Daniels will lead a conversation with other youth advocates on Thursday, October 5, at 8:00 p.m. EDT.
2:00 – 5:00 p.m. EDT • King PreK – 8, 50 Montgomery Pl, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
The New Republic is launching a bold new initiative to combat censorship and celebrate the First Amendment to coincide with Banned Books Week October 1–7, 2023. This fall, we are taking it on the road, sending a bookmobile to distribute books in states that have witnessed the highest incidents of banned books, including Texas, Florida, Missouri, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
We will launch our journey at the Brooklyn Book Festival on October 1 where we will accept book (and financial) donations with special help from our partners at House of SpeakEasy via the SpeakEasy Bookmobile.
Our “festival on wheels” will connect with communities, authors, bookstores, libraries, and local leaders to celebrate the freedom to read.
Oct 3—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2 p.m.– 5 p.m. // King PreK – 8, 50 Montgomery Pl, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
This month, we’re hitting the road with the Freedom to Read Foundation, Pen America, and Little Free Library to hand out copies of banned books in some of the most affected communities.
Explore this this site to see whether the Banned Wagon is coming to a city near you, learn about the books we’ll be handing out, and explore more resources to fight book bans!
4:00 p.m. CDT • Edgewater Branch, Chicago Public Library, 6000 N. Broadway St., Chicago, IL
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.”
During Banned Books Week, City Lights and PEN America bring together authors, librarians, and student activists to discuss the alarming rise in book bans across the country. They share insights, observations, and methods to counter the suppression of books that address issues pertaining to race, gender, and sexuality. Ever timely, their conversation is a powerful call to action to stand up for the freedom to read.
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/).
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!
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
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!
Keep an eye on your inbox! At the end of October, we’ll reach out to you to see what swag you’d like.
“…Because we adults must continue to learn to pass the information on…”
—Nicole Anderson Cobb, PhD, Convener, Freedom Readers Book Club of Champaign Urbana
*** “Freadom” image provided from African American Policy Forum Summer School 2023***
——————————————————-
Greetings from Nicole Anderson Cobb, PhD, Convener, Freedom Readers Book Club of Champaign-Urbana!
I have launched this book club FOR ADULTS, PARENTS AND YOUTH CAREGIVERS to gather to read once a month in community.
We will read one (1) book this year:
The 1619 Project—a 624 page book—
is filled with a lot of information to consider and discuss.
Therefore, my goal is to carefully consider each chapter’s contents each month.
Book Club Focus:
The 1619 Project:
A New Origin Story (2021)
by Nikole Hannah Jones
When:
2nd Sunday of Each Month,
First meeting October 8, 2023
Where:
Friends Conference Room (215),
Champaign Public Library
Second Floor
200 West Greet Street
Champaign, IL 61820
217-403-2090 https://champaign.org
Time:
October 8, 2:00-4:00 pm
Cost:
$5.00 minimum donation suggested
to help defray the cost of room rental
+ crafting supplies for children who attend meetings
*** Feel free to send your $5.00 donation to my CashApp
($NicoleDAndersonCobb) to register for the October 8, 2023 meeting. ***
RSVP:
PLEASE RSVP (drnicolecontemplativeprograms@gmail.com)
so that we can be sure we have a large enough room to accommodate readers.
Looking forward to seeing you on October 8, 2023!
—Nicole Anderson Cobb, PhD, Convener
Freedom Readers Book Club of Champaign Urbana
Will your team be the trivia champions? Join JMRL for Banned Books Week Trivia Night at Random Row Brewery for chances to win prizes based on your team’s knowledge of banned books. Teams of up to four can work together.
Books are one of the first tools kids use to learn about the world around them. In honor of National Book Month and Banned Books Week, you’re invited to join children’s literacy nonprofit SMART Reading and some special guests for a free webinar about why getting inclusive books into the hands and homes of children is so critical.
In a moment where efforts to ban books that include marginalized identities are on the rise nationally, we’ll discuss the impacts of these bans, why all children benefit from access to engaging, inclusive books, and what libraries and community organizations are doing to ensure kids have access to inclusive books. We’ll also discuss the benefits of books in students’ home language and tips for reading with kids.
A talk by educator Dr. Margery Marcus on the history of censorship and book banning in Floridas schools and libraries. Sponsored by the South Florida chapter of the Women’s National Book Association and Delray Beach Public Library.
Join Lynn Museum/LynnArts and the Grand Army of the Republic Museum for a special program at the Lynn Auditorium on Wednesday, October 4th, at 6 p.m. This event is free, and all are welcome to attend!
Hear from community members and experts as they discuss economic inequality, book banning, voter suppression, and the marginalization of Black History on the heels of the 160th anniversary of three monumental events in the history of our country: the Emancipation Proclamation, the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address.
Featured Speakers
Dr. Patrick Tutwiler Massachusetts Secretary of Education
In response to book bans throughout Florida and the United States, local pride organizations, nonprofits, and businesses in DeLand, Florida, are coming together to hold a book giveaway for all ages at Sidecar Home Market in Downtown DeLand.
Special thanks to Sidecar Home Market, The DeLand Quakers, The West Volusia Beacon, The Muse Bookshop, The Family Book Shop, and Cliff’s Books.
Join The New York Public Library during Banned Books Week for a discussion about censorship in literature and the pivotal role public libraries play in championing the right to access a range of perspectives and ideas. Plus, discover photographs by Kimberly Butler, whose work explores censorship and banned books through visual media.
This event will take place in person at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library on the 7th Floor.
According to the American Library Association (ALA), between January 1 and August 31 this year, a total of 1,915 unique titles have already been targeted for censorship in 2023. This marks a 20% increase from the same reporting period in 2022, a year which saw the highest number of book challenges on record since ALA began compiling data more than two decades ago.
At this event, photographer Kimberly Butler presents images from her latest collection inspired by banned books. Please note that this presentation contains nudity and other sensitive imagery.
Then, in conversation with WNYC’s Brooke Gladstone will be leaders from all three of New York City’s public library systems: Rosa Caballero-Li (The New York Public Library), Nick Buron (Queens Public Library), and Nick Higgins (Brooklyn Public Library).
See this list below of recommended readings on our topic for this program:
To join the event in-person | Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.
Banned Books Week at NYPL | The New York Public Library is dedicated to free and open access to information and knowledge—a mission that is directly opposed to censorship. Join us as we mark this year’s Banned Books Week, October 1–7.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Brooke Gladstone has been host and managing editor of On the Media for all of the 21st century. She’s the recipient of two Peabody Awards, a National Press Club Award, an Overseas Press Club Award, and MAXIMUMFUN.ORG’S Special Citation For Achievements In Being Awesome, among others. Before that she was senior editor of NPR’s Weekend Editionwith Scott Simon, and also of All Things Considered. After that, she reported from Moscow for three years, moved to New York to inaugurate NPR’s first-ever media beat and then finally settled downtown to re-launch On the Media in October, 2000. She’s the author of The Influencing Machine (W.W. Norton), a treatise on the media in graphic form (listed among the “10 Masterpieces of Graphic Nonfiction” by The Atlantic) and a monograph, The Trouble with Reality (Workman) in 2017. At WNYC’s 2012 Christmas party, she sang “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen,” with her sisters Lisa and Stacey, thus fulfilling all her dreams.
Kimberly Butler has photographed hundreds of celebrities and world leaders including five U.S. presidents. Her credits include covers of New York Times best sellers and gallery shoots for major broadcast networks. She was also a regular contributor to PEOPLE magazine for more than a decade. Butler has traveled extensively in the Middle Eastand the former Soviet Union as a photojournalist and documentary filmmaker in Jordan, Jerusalem, Gaza, and Chechnya. For the past two decades, she has been the creative force behind the American Library Association’s Celebrity READposter series, exhibited nationwide in public schools and libraries. Her latest book is “The Art of Fear: A Photographic Memoir”. Butler is a native New Yorker and lives in Manhattan.
Nick Buron is the Chief Librarian for the Queens Library. He oversees all library services for the 66 Queens Library locations, including programming, outreach and collections. He has been with the Queens Library since 1993 when he started as a front line librarian. In 2016, he moved into his current position. Nick has direct and indirect supervision for over 700 employees. He assesses current needs and plans for the future service needs of the community. Nick ensures that day-to-day operations run smoothly, and integrates department goals into the broader strategic directions across departments, such as resource planning, staff training, and materials allocations.
Nick Higgins is the Chief Librarian of Brooklyn Public Library. In concert with other members of the senior management team, Nick leads the development of transformative library services and spaces for the residents of Brooklyn. In his previous role as Director of Outreach Services, Nick and his team created a suite of unique programs for older adults, individuals and families impacted by the justice system, immigrants, and people experiencing homelessness. Nick began his career in 2006 at BPL as a librarian trainee and worked in several branches, the Inclusive Services department, the Business & Career Library, and the Central Library. Nick also served for three years as the NYPL Correctional Library Supervisor, creating library services in the Rikers Island jail complex, and State and Federal Prisons. In 2017 Nick was named “Mover and Shaker” by Library Journal for building a citywide library-based video visiting service for kids with parents who were incarcerated. Nick and his team were awarded the prestigious Librarian of the Year Award from Library Journal for their work on Books Unbanned, a freedom to read initiative that provides free access to BPL’s entire digital library collection for teens anywhere in the US facing book bans. Nick received an MLIS from the Pratt Institute and a BA in British Literature from Hunter College.
Rosa Caballero-Li is the Director of BookOps, an award-winning shared technical services team responsible for managing the collection and distribution needs of The New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library. Throughout her 16-year career at The New York Public Library, Caballero-Li has held various positions that have assisted library users across the City. She has developed a unique perspective on how library users access our circulating and research collections and has advocated for enhanced collections discoverability and access, seeking opportunities that increase equity and access for the communities each library serves.
Don’t have a New York Public Library card? Get one here!
ACCESSIBILITY NOTES
In-Person | Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue. You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template. This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.
CONNECT WITH US
Sign up for our e-newsletters to stay up to date on upcoming events and Library offerings.
Please submit all press inquiries to Amy Geduldig at least 48 hours before the event: email amygeduldig@nypl.org.
SUPPORT THE LIBRARY
The New York Public Library’s free services and resources are made possible thanks to the support of the Friends of the Library. Join this group of Library lovers and take advantage of special membership benefits, like invitations to members-only virtual events, discounts at the Library Shop, and more. Join now.
All programs are subject to change or cancellation.
The 7 Stories Up Series at SNFL is made possible by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
For an encore event in our Trans & Nonbinary Author Series, LGBTQI Life will host Lydia Conklin for a read from and celebrate the paperback release of Rainbow, Rainbow and a Q&A followed by mixer. Student readers include undergraduate Sawyer Sussner and MFA candidates Kumari Devarajan and Lela Ni.
Lydia Conklin has received a Stegner Fellowship, a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writer’s Award, three Pushcart Prizes, a Creative Writing Fulbright in Poland, a grant from the Elizabeth George Foundation, a Creative Writing Fellowship from Emory University, work-study and tuition scholarships from Bread Loaf, and fellowships from MacDowell, Yaddo, Hedgebrook, Djerassi, the James Merrill House, and elsewhere. Their fiction has appeared in McSweeney’s, American Short Fiction, The Paris Review, One Story, and VQR. They have drawn cartoons for The New Yorker and Narrative Magazine, and graphic fiction for The Believer, Lenny Letter, and the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago. Last year they served as the Helen Zell Visiting Professor in Fiction at the University of Michigan and they are currently an Assistant Professor of Fiction at Vanderbilt University. Their story collection, Rainbow Rainbow, was published by Catapult in North America and Scribner in the UK.
Join us for the kickoff of Banned Books Week, an annual celebration of the freedom to read, draws attention to banned and challenged books, and highlights persecuted individuals. We will launch the opening of our own campus “little banned books library,” with a discussion of how reading banned books can be a form of advocacy and activism. Remarks begin at 12:15 p.m. Co-sponsors include Parnassus Books and the Nashville Public Library.
Book bans and censorship affect the entire community — from librarians, authors, and journalists to teachers, community leaders, and readers of all types. This panel discussion, part of Banned Books Week, will focus on the affect of banned and challenged books on the community, as well as touch on the role of advocacy in fighting these challenges. Panelists include:
Lisa Bubert, Librarian 2, Nashville Public Library, Madison Branch
Caroline Brooks DuBois, Author
Anna Bernstein, Advanced Academic Coordinator, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Bellevue Middle School
Chris Sanders, Executive Director, Tennessee Equality Project
Kent Oliver, Library Consultant & former Director, Nashville Public Library
Emily Pendergrass, Associate Professor of the Practice of Literacy Education, Peabody College of Education & Human Development (moderator)
Thursday, October 5th, 2023 (6:00PM – 7:30PM Eastern)
Join For the People Leftist Library Project for a dynamic how-to session focused on local organizer efforts to strengthen and defend public libraries. We’ll hear firsthand accounts from the Hennepin County Library Patrons Union and Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship. Discover how these organizations threw themselves into the struggle, built power, navigated challenges, and made a difference in their local public libraries.
Participants can expect to leave with lessons learned and examples of step-by-step actions that could be applied elsewhere. This event is all about practical takeaways and constructive advice that you can apply to your own local library initiatives, so please also feel encouraged to come with questions for a Q&A.
The Library Patrons Union is an explicitly leftist, community-run union of Hennepin County Library patrons (in Minnesota), organizing for more just public libraries. https://librarypatronsunion.com/
Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship is an all-volunteer, grassroots organization dedicated to fighting attempts to ban or restrict books based on subjective standards of inappropriate content. We believe that informed citizens are good citizens, and access to information is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy. To that end, we oppose any legislation aimed at restricting citizens’ First Amendment Rights, as well as the right to read freely. https://www.la-cac.org/
Access info: ASL interpretation and live captioning will be provided.
Zoom link will be sent before the event to all registrants.
Test your literary knowledge against other players and celebrate Banned Books Week with a night of trivia at Quincy Hall!
Our expert trivia host, Jessica Sprigings, will present a trivia challenge for anyone who would like to participate and award prizes for the winners! Come early for Quincy Hall’s 3-day fermented pizza dough or stay late for a drink from their large eclectic selection.
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. It’s an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the value of open access to information.
Location:Quincy Hall Pints & Pizza, 4001 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22203. Visit www.quincyhallbar.com for menu and pricing. Street parking is limited. Attendees may park at the library and walk to the venue.
RSVP to receive an event reminder email. Admission is on first-come, first-served basis until event capacity is reached.
Teams may consist of one to five people. Teams of one may be asked to work together to create larger teams.
For more information, contact 703-228-6319 or LIB-CentralOperations@arlingtonva.us
In protest of the recent book ban by the Madison County School Board, we will be holding a book festival No Book Left Behind featuring guest speakers, activities, and book sales including banned titles.
This is a family friendly event, and we invite everyone to celebrate great books, bring awareness to the dangers of censorship, and encourage us all to become involved with helping our children read and learn about diverse experiences in the world.
In honor of Banned Books Week, PEN America’s Arizona Chapter has assembled thought leaders to discuss the torrent of book bans overtaking schools and libraries nationwide, and what can be done to stop this epidemic.
This event is part of Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference at Arizona State University (ASU). This conference features nationally recognized writers presenting classes, workshops, panels, and talks on literary craft, technique, and other topics related to creative writing, art, and practice.
Panel moderator Kyle Patton is a writer, photographer, long-time managing editor of two national medical magazines, and forum director for the Arizona Authors Association. He’s also been a monthly contributor to The Arizona Republic and USA Today. Kyle is currently editing novels and working on his own.
Ed McKennon has served as an academic librarian for over 20 years, currently in the Maricopa County Community College network. Starting two decades ago, he organized annual Banned Books Week activities for Amnesty International alongside library faculty and staff from Arizona State University and Glendale Community College and served on Amnesty International committees. Ed has presented the relationship between Banned Books Week library campaigns and international human rights action via several academic poster sessions and is particularly interested in how a human-rights framework can be used to address censorship controversies.
Darrell Hill is policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona. His work includes legislative advocacy in the areas of abortion, voting rights, LGBTQ rights, criminal justice reform, and education equity. As policy director, he has worked to pass legislation prohibiting the suspension and expulsion of students for minor disciplinary infractions, and legislation to address healthcare inequity during the pandemic. Hill has also served as an ACLU staff attorney and litigated cases concerning voting rights, Arizona’s Free Exercise of Religion Act, public records law, and the First Amendment.
Michelle Beaver is the founder of PEN America’s Arizona Chapter. Through her work with PEN, Michelle organizes events and campaigns that promote human rights, free expression, literature, and that fight book banning. She’s an author, editor, journalist, and 20-year weekly social-justice volunteer. She serves as a national magazine editor and teaching artist at Arizona State University’s Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. Michelle’s passion for free expression started at age 15 when she led a statewide battle against censorship of high-school journalists, efforts that included drafting and presenting Senate Bill 1282 with an Arizona Senator.
Michelle Gohr is a youth services librarian at Prescott Valley Public Library. Gohr has also served as a first-year-experience librarian with Arizona State University, where they taught information literacy and provided research assistance to students and faculty in women and gender studies, social justice/human rights, etc. Gohr is also a volunteer librarian for the Amnesty International USA Banned Books Week Working Group. Their research focuses on young adult literacy, censorship, and critical pedagogies.
Arizona State Senator Christine Marsh is a staunch advocate for education and continues to speak against and vote against book banning in schools. She taught high-school English for 25 years, now teaches middle school, and in 2016 was named Arizona Teacher of the Year. State Senator Marsh serves on the Senate Education Committee and the Transportation and Technology Committee. In her first term, she sponsored a bill to legalize fentanyl testing strips after the tragic death of her son from a fentanyl overdose. She’s a proud supporter of public schools, where she sent both her sons and her six foster children.
The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County’s Banned Books Week co-chair, Alyssa Gómez Lawrence, will lead panelists Lee Chambers, Jeff Gottke, Lois Hanson, and David H. Lynn for a lively discussion of Mount Vernon & Knox County’s communal read, Maus, by Art Spiegelman. This incredibly powerful tale of survival is a contemporary classic and essential text documenting the Holocaust.
Complimentary copies of Maus are available at the Main Library (201 North Mulberry Street, Mount Vernon, OH) and the Kenyon College Bookstore (106 Gaskin Avenue, Gambier, OH) beginning September 19th, and continuing while supplies last.
Alyssa Gómez Lawrence (Panel Moderator) is the Assistant Director for the Community Engaged Learning and Internships at Kenyon College’s Office for Community Partnerships. Alyssa’s lifelong passion for literature gives her a unique perspective on civil discourse and literary advocacy. She is excited to further support and promote opportunities for community members to engage in debate, participate in advocacy initiatives, and learn together through literary-themed workshops and conversations.
John K. Chidester has served as director of the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County since 1976. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Heidelberg University and a Master’s degree in Library Science from Case Western Reserve University. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and the Ohio Air National Guard, and he is a former president of the Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club.
David Lynn was a Professor of English at Kenyon College from 1988 to 2023 and Editor of the Kenyon Review from 1994 to 2020. Winner of an O. Henry Award, he has a new book appearing in 2024: REBUILDING THE GOAT WALK: AN ECO-MEMOIR.
Jeff Gottke is President of the Knox County Area Development Foundation. He is in his third year of service on the local Board of Elections, and current Board Chair. Jeff also serves on the Central and Executive Committees for the Knox County Republican Party, and is active in local civic affairs, including Mount Vernon City Council. A U.S. Army Veteran and former high school Social Studies teacher, Jeff holds a Masters Degree in American History and Government from Ashland University.
Lois Hanson is from Wheeling, West Virginia. She graduated from West Virginia University with a BA in education and earned her Masters in Education from Ohio State. She taught Language Arts and Social Studies in West Virginia and Ohio for 30 years before “retiring” to work at Paragraphs Bookstore as a Book Seller, then Manager. After 17 years at Paragraphs, Lois now works there once a week, “So I can talk about books with dear customers.” She is the author of Our Worthy Townsmen, a book she researched and wrote about 19th-century Jewish families in Mount Vernon, Ohio.
Dr. Lee Chambers is a musicologist, singer, and university administrator working at the intersection of aesthetics, phenomenology, and global history. He holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Texas Tech, an MA in music from Ball State, and BA in vocal performance from Olivet Nazarene University. Lee has taught, consulted, and performed for universities and arts organizations on four continents and currently directs the Center for Student Success at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, where he also teaches history and maintains an active voice studio.
In partnership with Book People, The Child Defense Fund of Texas, and the Austin Public Library, PEN America Austin will celebrate Banned Book Month 2023 on October 7 at Book People by demonstrating the magical power of reading. With legislature like Texas House Bill 900 threatening students’ access to books, PEN Austin is inviting local writers, readers, and free expression advocates to honor the magic of their unique stories.
This day of celebration for the magical power of reading will have two sections that will allow Austin residents to reflect on how integral books are to our identity and our ability to express ourselves. Staff from the CDF and APL will be on hand to supply writers, readers, and free expression advocates of all ages with the materials and knowledge to produce their own zine and bookmarks via a production workshop. Magician Nicole Cardoza will demonstrate the transformative power of words with a magic show. Lastly, the PEN America Freedom to Read team will present research findings about the book ban crisis and its effects on Texas students, schools, libraries, and booksellers. PEN America will be joined by local coalition leaders who are pushing back against book bans in defense of the freedom to read. Leaders like Carolyn Foote of FReadom Fighters will talk about ways to get involved locally in your own schools and communities.
Registration for this event is free and light refreshments will be served.
EVENT SCHEDULE:
A BANNED CAMP STORYTIME
10:30AM – 11:00AM
Join us in the BookPeople kids amphitheater for a Banned Books themed storytime featuring books that have been banned or challenged. Can you guess which one was challenged and why? Help our littlest readers engage with the conversation around intellectual freedom while supporting their early literacy!
BANNED CAMP CRAFTERNOON WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND
11:00AM -1:00PM
Make a Banned Book Bookmark Art Piece or Zine! Great for kids and adults.
Join us for a fun afternoon of Intellectual-Freedom themed crafting!
Austin Public Library will have supplies so you can make a bookmark inspired by the theme of Banned Books to add to a community mural project and bookmark contest. Prizes will be awarded on October 31 for top bookmark designs by age category city-wide.
Children’s Defense Fund will show you how to make DIY magazines (“zines”) and make your voice heard in support of the freedom to read. Learn about the history of zine-making and take home your own zine expressing your stories and ideas.
BOOKS ARE MAGIC: A SPECIAL MAGIC SHOW WITH NICOLE CARDOZA
11:30AM-12:00PM
Nicole Cardoza (she/her) is a magician and storyteller. As a performer, Nicole shares her perspective on stage magic, the history and future of Black magicians, and encourages us to find the magic inherent in us all. She’s collaborated with brands including Google, Patreon, and Soho House. She’s toured the country and performed at universities, exclusive venues, for corporations and private events.
She’s also the founder of Reclamation Ventures, a venture studio creating and incubating ideas for our collective wellbeing. It also manages the Reclamation Ventures Fund, which provides philanthropic and early-stage investments in individuals and organizations making wellness more accessible. Over the past two years, it’s granted over $500,000 in direct support to marginalized wellness leaders.
Nicole’s first published book, Mindful Moves, a mindfulness book for children, was published in Spring 2021.
@blackgirlmagician on IG, TikTok and YouTube
blackgirlmagician.com
THE MAGIC POWER OF READING: PANEL DISCUSSION HOSTED BY PEN AMERICA
12:00PM -1:00PM
As we spend the day celebrating free expression, we also acknowledge that the freedom to read is under assault as prohibitions on books proliferate across the county in classrooms, school districts, and libraries. The freedom to read ensures students have access to a diversity of views and expressions, public schools and libraries serve the educational process by making knowledge and ideas available, and books remain available regardless of the personal or political ideologies of some.
In this session, Kasey Meehan of the PEN America Freedom to Read team will present research findings about the book ban crisis and its effects on students, schools, libraries, and booksellers in Texas. PEN America will be joined by local coalition leaders who are pushing back against book bans in defense of the freedom to read. Leaders like Carolyn Foote of FReadom Fighters will talk about ways to get involved locally in your own schools and communities.
Kasey Meehan is the Freedom to Read Program Director at PEN America, leading our initiatives to protect the right of students to freely access literature in schools. Previously, Kasey served as the Associate Director of Postsecondary Policy at a mission-driven education research organization in Philadelphia, Research for Action. Kasey’s research centers students, educators, and school leaders’ experiences in identifying strategies for reform and capturing emerging best practices and strives to connect research to policy and program change. Kasey holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a MPA from the Fels Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, along with a Certificate in Politics.
Join PEN Utah on October 5th as Carmen Maria Machado joins the Tanner Humanities Center for a Banned Books Week conversation about her work and being an LGBTQIA+ author. She will be joined by Jeremy Rosen, Associate Director for Faculty at the Tanner Humanities Center and Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Utah.
Book signing to follow. Books will be available to purchase from Under the Umbrella Bookstore.
Carmen Maria Machado is the author of the bestselling memoir In the Dream House, the graphic novel The Low, Low Woods, and the award-winning short story collection Her Body and Other Parties. She has been a finalist for the National Book Award and the winner of the Bard Fiction Prize, the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction, the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Nonfiction, the Brooklyn Public Library Literature Prize, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize. In 2018, the New York Times listed Her Body and Other Parties as a member of “The New Vanguard,” one of “15 remarkable books by women that are shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century.”
Jeremy Rosen, Associate Director for Faculty at the Tanner Humanities Center, is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Utah. His first book, Minor Characters Have Their Day: Genre and the Contemporary Literary Marketplace, was published as part of Columbia University Press’s “Literature Now” series in 2016. His current project Genre Bending considers the adoption of forms of popular genre fiction by acclaimed writers of literary fiction. Rosen teaches post-World War II U.S. and global fiction, with courses on genres like science fiction, detective fiction, climate fiction or “cli-fi,” as well as other timely topics like “Diversity in the Postwar Novel,” “Global/Transnational Literature: Contemporary Fiction of Immigration and Refugees,” and “Contemporary Literature and the Business of Books.” Rosen joined the Tanner Humanities Center in August 2021. In this role, he helps facilitate academic research programs, including our research fellows, work-in-progress talks, faculty panels and workshops, and research interest groups.
LGBTQ-themed books are under profound attack in the United States. They are challenged in droves and are decreed off-limits by school boards, legislators, and prison authorities. In PEN’s report “Banned in the USA: The Mounting Pressure to Censor,” during the 2022–23 school year, PEN America recorded 3,362 instances of books banned, an increase of 33 percent from the 2021–22 school year, with over 40 percent of all book bans occurring in school districts in Florida. 78% of the books banned are listed as young adult, middle grade, and picture books.
Join PEN Miami/South Florida and Books & Books for a vital conversation with New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer, whose books I am Rosa Parks and I am Martin Luther King Jr. have been challenged in schools across the country, and author Camryn Garrett, whose books feature celebrations of blackness and queerness. They will discuss the movement to ban books by and about LGBTQ people, particularly books aimed at younger audiences, and how to resist the censorship taking over our schools and libraries.
Brad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and eleven other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The Nazi Conspiracy, about a secret plot to kill FDR, Stalin, and Winston Churchill at the height of WWII – and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos and inspired the Emmy-nominated TV show on PBS KIDS, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. His newest kids’ books are I am Dolly Parton and I am I.M. Pei. He is also the #1 bestselling author of the critically acclaimed comic books Identity Crisis and Justice League of America and is the co-creator of the TV series Jack & Bobby. A University of Michigan and Columbia Law School graduate, he lives in Florida with his wife and three children.
Camryn Garrett was born and raised in New York. In 2019, she was named one of Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 and a Glamour College Woman of the Year. Her first novel, Full Disclosure, received rave reviews from outlets such as Entertainment Weekly, The Today Show, and The Guardian, which called it “warm, funny and thoughtfully sex-positive, an impressive debut from a writer still in her teens.” Her second novel, Off the Record, received three starred reviews. Her third novel, Friday I’m in Love, was an IndieNext Pick and received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly. Her debut middle-grade novel, The Forgotten Summer of Seneca, will be published by Abrams in 2025. Her work has been translated into 9 languages. Camryn is also interested in filmmaking and has written and directed several short films. You can find her on Twitter @dancingofpens, tweeting from a laptop named Stevie.
Debi Goldberg is the Digital Director at PEN America, where she is leveraging the power of digital communications to advance the organization’s mission and engage constituents. Prior to that she spent 20 years at large nonprofits as the director of marketing and communications, where she ushered the organizations into the digital age by building out enterprise-level email marketing, brands, websites, social media, and public relations systems. From 1994 through early 2001, she worked in a variety of positions in national Democratic politics and campaigns, including the popular-vote-winning Gore 2000 campaign. During that time, Goldberg also worked in President Clinton’s second term (1997-2000) as an associate director in the White House Office of Public Liaison.
Kicking off Banned Books Awareness Week, The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is hosting a can’t miss panel discussion, The Burning of Democracy | A Banned Books Discussion
As more and more works of literature are being banned nationwide, panelists from a wide array of diverse communities and backgrounds will gather to discuss the effects of these corrosive and antidemocratic efforts. Featuring some of the preeminent names in academia, literature, advocacy, and more, including PEN America Los Angeles director, Allison Lee, the panel will discuss the power of literature and its unique ability to inform important narratives in our society and shine a light on the struggles and successes of underrepresented communities in the United States.
The panel recording will be on the NHMC’s YouTube channel starting at 8:30 AM ET on Sunday, October 1.
PARTICIPANTS
Allison Lee, Los Angeles Managing Director of PEN America.
Anthony Christian Ocampo, Professor and Author of “The Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race.”
Carrie Bloxson, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer of Hachette Book Group.
Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Contributing Author of the banned book “Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed.”
Pickle, Drag Laureate of the City of West Hollywood, Drag Queen Story Hour Los Angeles.
Join us! We’re celebrating Banned Books week with an Instagram Live on Thursday, October 5th at 3 PM EST / 12 PM PST. Author Isabel Quintero will be joining us to chat about her Morris Award-winning book, GABI, A GIRL IN PIECES, plus all things banned books. You won’t want to miss it.
Now more than ever, we need more — not less — authentic racial and ethnic representation in our school texts. To push back against this growing censorship movement, Ed Trust is hosting a conversation, Why We Need More (Not Less) Complex Racial and Ethnic Representation in Grade School Books, to discuss the challenges of the current educational landscape, key findings from our study, The Search for More Complex Racial and Ethnic Representation in Grade School Books, and takeaways that help move curricula development toward representational balance.
Let Freedom Read! The Augusta University Libraries are hosting two Banned Book Read-Ins in conjunction with Banned Books Week. The Read-Ins will be held at the Greenblatt Library on Monday, October 2, at 11am, and at the Reese Library on Tuesday, October 3, at 11am. Attendees are welcome to join library staff in reading aloud from their favorite banned or challenged books (you can sign up by scanning the QR code on the attached flyer).
Since 1982 Banned Books Week events across the country have “highlighted the value of free and open access to information and 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 express ideas.”
For more information on Banned Books Week and to view the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2022, visit https://bannedbooksweek.org/.
Let Freedom Read! The Augusta University Libraries are hosting two Banned Book Read-Ins in conjunction with Banned Books Week. The Read-Ins will be held at the Greenblatt Library on Monday, October 2, at 11am, and at the Reese Library on Tuesday, October 3, at 11am. Attendees are welcome to join library staff in reading aloud from their favorite banned or challenged books (you can sign up by scanning the QR code on the attached flyer).
Since 1982 Banned Books Week events across the country have “highlighted the value of free and open access to information and 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 express ideas.”
For more information on Banned Books Week and to view the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2022, visit https://bannedbooksweek.org/.
Stop by for a free book! To mark Banned Books Week, we’re giving away copies of some recently published books that have been banned or challenged because they address sexuality, race, gender, and other topics. All are welcome. Join us on the Diag in front of the Hatcher Library at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
This year’s theme, “Let Freedom Read!” faces off against the spread of book bans, both nationwide and here in Michigan. Along with free books (until we run out), you’ll find information about actions you can take to fight back, because the freedom to read is essential to a functioning democracy.
Choose your book from these titles:
Gender Queer: A Memoir
by Maia Kobabe
A graphic novel about coming out as nonbinary. Currently the most-banned book in America.
The 1619 Project
by Nikole Hannah-Jones
Anthology of essays that seeks to reframe American history with the institution of slavery at its core.
All Boys Aren’t Blue
by George M. Johnson
Series of personal essays following the author’s journey growing up as a queer Black man in Plainfield, New Jersey, and Virginia.
The Hill We Climb
by Amanda Gorman
Spoken word poem recited at the inauguration of President Joe Biden, calling for unity and justice after the riot at the Capitol.
Queer: A Graphic History
by Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele
A graphic history of LGBTQ+ people and movements.
Milk and Honey
by Rupi Kaur
Collection of poetry and prose about survival — about the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity.
Crank
by Ellen Hopkins
Novel based loosely on the real-life addictions of the author’s daughter to crystal meth.
Salvage the Bones
by Jesmyn Ward
Gritty but tender novel about a black family and poverty in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina.
An Indigenous History of the United States
by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
History of the U.S. told from the perspective of Indigenous peoples.
The Glass Castle
by Jeannette Walls
Memoir chronicling an eccentric and deeply dysfunctional family that is also resilient and tight-knit.
All-American Muslim Girl
by Nadine Jolie Courtney
Fictional story of being caught between two worlds, examining matters of subtle and blatant Islamophobia, privilege and erasure, and questions of faith and identity.
Dear Martin
by Nic Stone
Novel where a young Black teen grapples with racism — after a traffic stop turns violent at the hands of the police — and what it means for his future.
All American Boys
by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Novel telling the story of two teenage boys as they handle racism and police brutality in their community.
They Called Us Enemy
by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven R. Scott, and Harmony Becker
Graphic novel about childhood experiences during the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II.
This One Summer
by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
Graphic novel coming-of-age story about two teen friends discovering the emotional complexities of young adult life.
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America
by Ijeoma Oluo
A cultural history of white male masculinity in America and how it affects our political and social lives today.
This event is part of the fall Arts & Resistance theme semester sponsored by the U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; the U-M Museum of Art; and the U-M Arts Initiative to explore how the visual, performing, and literary arts play a central role in shaping cultural and political narratives. This project was made possible by a grant from the U-M Arts Initiative.
Stop by for a free book! To mark Banned Books Week, we’re giving away copies of some recently published books that have been banned or challenged because they address sexuality, race, gender, and other topics. All are welcome. Join us on the Diag in front of the Hatcher Library at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
This year’s theme, “Let Freedom Read!” faces off against the spread of book bans, both nationwide and here in Michigan. Along with free books (until we run out), you’ll find information about actions you can take to fight back, because the freedom to read is essential to a functioning democracy.
Choose your book from these titles:
Gender Queer: A Memoir
by Maia Kobabe
A graphic novel about coming out as nonbinary. Currently the most-banned book in America.
The 1619 Project
by Nikole Hannah-Jones
Anthology of essays that seeks to reframe American history with the institution of slavery at its core.
All Boys Aren’t Blue
by George M. Johnson
Series of personal essays following the author’s journey growing up as a queer Black man in Plainfield, New Jersey, and Virginia.
The Hill We Climb
by Amanda Gorman
Spoken word poem recited at the inauguration of President Joe Biden, calling for unity and justice after the riot at the Capitol.
Queer: A Graphic History
by Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele
A graphic history of LGBTQ+ people and movements.
Milk and Honey
by Rupi Kaur
Collection of poetry and prose about survival — about the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity.
Crank
by Ellen Hopkins
Novel based loosely on the real-life addictions of the author’s daughter to crystal meth.
Salvage the Bones
by Jesmyn Ward
Gritty but tender novel about a black family and poverty in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina.
An Indigenous History of the United States
by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
History of the U.S. told from the perspective of Indigenous peoples.
The Glass Castle
by Jeannette Walls
Memoir chronicling an eccentric and deeply dysfunctional family that is also resilient and tight-knit.
All-American Muslim Girl
by Nadine Jolie Courtney
Fictional story of being caught between two worlds, examining matters of subtle and blatant Islamophobia, privilege and erasure, and questions of faith and identity.
Dear Martin
by Nic Stone
Novel where a young Black teen grapples with racism — after a traffic stop turns violent at the hands of the police — and what it means for his future.
All American Boys
by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Novel telling the story of two teenage boys as they handle racism and police brutality in their community.
They Called Us Enemy
by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven R. Scott, and Harmony Becker
Graphic novel about childhood experiences during the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II.
This One Summer
by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
Graphic novel coming-of-age story about two teen friends discovering the emotional complexities of young adult life.
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America
by Ijeoma Oluo
A cultural history of white male masculinity in America and how it affects our political and social lives today.
This event is part of the fall Arts & Resistance theme semester sponsored by the U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; the U-M Museum of Art; and the U-M Arts Initiative to explore how the visual, performing, and literary arts play a central role in shaping cultural and political narratives. This project was made possible by a grant from the U-M Arts Initiative.
Stop by for a free book! To mark Banned Books Week, we’re giving away copies of some recently published books that have been banned or challenged because they address sexuality, race, gender, and other topics. All are welcome. Join us on the Diag in front of the Hatcher Library at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
This year’s theme, “Let Freedom Read!” faces off against the spread of book bans, both nationwide and here in Michigan. Along with free books (until we run out), you’ll find information about actions you can take to fight back, because the freedom to read is essential to a functioning democracy.
Choose your book from these titles:
Gender Queer: A Memoir
by Maia Kobabe
A graphic novel about coming out as nonbinary. Currently the most-banned book in America.
The 1619 Project
by Nikole Hannah-Jones
Anthology of essays that seeks to reframe American history with the institution of slavery at its core.
All Boys Aren’t Blue
by George M. Johnson
Series of personal essays following the author’s journey growing up as a queer Black man in Plainfield, New Jersey, and Virginia.
The Hill We Climb
by Amanda Gorman
Spoken word poem recited at the inauguration of President Joe Biden, calling for unity and justice after the riot at the Capitol.
Queer: A Graphic History
by Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele
A graphic history of LGBTQ+ people and movements.
Milk and Honey
by Rupi Kaur
Collection of poetry and prose about survival — about the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity.
Crank
by Ellen Hopkins
Novel based loosely on the real-life addictions of the author’s daughter to crystal meth.
Salvage the Bones
by Jesmyn Ward
Gritty but tender novel about a black family and poverty in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina.
An Indigenous History of the United States
by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
History of the U.S. told from the perspective of Indigenous peoples.
The Glass Castle
by Jeannette Walls
Memoir chronicling an eccentric and deeply dysfunctional family that is also resilient and tight-knit.
All-American Muslim Girl
by Nadine Jolie Courtney
Fictional story of being caught between two worlds, examining matters of subtle and blatant Islamophobia, privilege and erasure, and questions of faith and identity.
Dear Martin
by Nic Stone
Novel where a young Black teen grapples with racism — after a traffic stop turns violent at the hands of the police — and what it means for his future.
All American Boys
by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Novel telling the story of two teenage boys as they handle racism and police brutality in their community.
They Called Us Enemy
by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven R. Scott, and Harmony Becker
Graphic novel about childhood experiences during the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II.
This One Summer
by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
Graphic novel coming-of-age story about two teen friends discovering the emotional complexities of young adult life.
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America
by Ijeoma Oluo
A cultural history of white male masculinity in America and how it affects our political and social lives today.
This event is part of the fall Arts & Resistance theme semester sponsored by the U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; the U-M Museum of Art; and the U-M Arts Initiative to explore how the visual, performing, and literary arts play a central role in shaping cultural and political narratives. This project was made possible by a grant from the U-M Arts Initiative.
Book challenges and censorship in both public and school libraries has increased exponentially. The presenter will help us understand why this is happening and what we can do about it.
When intellectual freedom is at risk, librarians are often on the front lines of protecting communities’ access to information. Hear from alumni librarians about their experiences and what they’re doing to defend our right to read.
Join Wayne State University’s School of Information Sciences’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Program Planning Committee for the panel discussion Defending Access: Librarian Perspectives on Banned Books.
The panel will be moderated by alumnus Lance Werner, executive director of the Kent District Library and a member of the School of Information Sciences’ (SIS) Advisory Board. Werner was recently named to the Grand Rapids 200, a list of the 200 most powerful and influential people in West Michigan for 2022.
Panelists:
Event host – Allia McCoy, Social Sciences (AKA Social Justice) Librarian, WSU Library System
Amy Churchill, Library Director, Lapeer District Library
Jordan Wright, Assistant Director, Ferndale Area District Library
Nakenya Lewis-Yarbrough, Youth Services Librarian, Belleville Area District Library
Selena Aguilera, Community Engagement Librarian, Taylor Community Library
This will be a hybrid event, available both live online and in person at the Bernath Auditorium on Wayne State’s main campus. The panel discussion will be followed by a brief reception where you’ll have the opportunity to network with the panelists as well as SIS students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the Wayne State community. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are recommended. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance via the registration form.
This year IFLA’s Management of Library Associations (MLAS), in collaboration with the Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression Advisory Committee (FAIFE), will be organizing a webinar to discuss access to information under siege across the world, as well as best practices and strategies from library associations and librarians.
As in previous years, this October 1-7 of 2023, we commemorate “Banned Books Week,” an initiative from the American Library Association that seeks to bring 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.
Librarians across the world are facing unprecedented situations related to the defense of access to information and intellectual freedom. Library leaders from different regions will be taking a look at the current global situation, discussing how to manage crises, and how to build support networks for libraries and librarians. As part of the event, resources developed by library associations will be shared on the event’s page.
“This is a dangerous time for readers and the public servants who provide access to reading materials. Readers, particularly students, are losing access to critical information, and librarians and teachers are under attack for doing their jobs.” –Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom
Now more than ever, we must uphold the principles conveyed by the Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
Speakers
Genilson Geraldo, member of the Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression Advisory Committee (FAIFE) and representative of FEBAB – Brazilian Federation of Associations of Librarians, Information Scientists and Institutions
Stuart Hamilton, Head,Libraries Development, Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), Ireland. IFLA Governing Board Member
Joyce McIntosh, American Library Association (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom and Lori Fisher, Maine State Librarian, ALA Policy Corps Member
Edward McKennon, Amnesty International USA Banned Books Week Working Group
Moderators
Loida Garcia-Febo, Chair of IFLA Management of Library Associations Section, IFLA Governing Board Member.
Jonathan Hernández Pérez, Chair of Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression Advisory Committee
A coalition of departments at Syracuse University is hosting “Banned Books Week Read-Out,” during which students, faculty, and community members can come and read from their favorite banned books. Sponsors include Syracuse University Libraries, College of Arts and Sciences Department of English, Department of Languages and Linguistics, Department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric and Composition, Department of African American Studies, LGBTQ Resource Center and the Tully Center for Free Speech.
Join Penguin Random House, Booklist, and Unite Against Book Bans for a special Banned Books Week event as we premiere the video of Ibram X. Kendi’s motivating and moving speech from Rally for the Right to Read at the 2023 ALA Annual Conference. Introduced by Tracie D. Hall, Executive Director of the American Library Association, in conversation with Chris Jackson, EVP, Publisher, & Editor-in-Chief of One World—this hour-long webinar will celebrate the right to read and librarians’ role in providing access for all. Representatives from Unite Against Book Bans will also join the webinar to share resources and offer a myriad of ways that viewers can join in the fight for the freedom to read.
Ten lucky LIVE webinar attendees will win a full set of Ibram X. Kendi’s books for their library. Register now!
Come celebrate FREADom with us at this family-friendly event! Dress up as your favorite character from a banned or challenged book. We’ll have door prizes, games, and readings from challenged books from across Louisiana!
Restricting access to under-represented voices is intended to invalidate marginalized identities and has no place in a healthy democracy. The opportunity to learn about experiences different than our own is a fundamental part of what allows our state, and our country, to achieve inclusive progress. As the right to access information is under attack around the country, New Jersey has an obligation to fight back, and to lead by example in defending it.
This event will be moderated by ACLU-NJ Legal Director Jeanne LoCicero. Panelists include:
Martha Hickson, New Jersey Library Association 2023 Librarian of the Year
Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read Program Director at PEN America
Brielle Winslow-Majette, Deputy Director of Garden State Equality
Wheatgrass Books in Livingston, Montana, will host its 2nd annual banned books celebration. An array of community members — local writers, students, librarians, policy makers, and more — will gather together to read passages of their favorite banned book.
As anti-LGBTQ+ legislation sweeps the nation, our schools, libraries, and other story-telling spaces are being attacked on the basis of “protecting the children.” Countless books have been banned as a result, attempting to block—and thereby, extinguish—any mention of LGBTQ+ experiences and identities.
But these books go beyond LGBTQ+ narratives—they’re glowing messages of love and role models for living life as your best, most authentic self.
In what world should these messages be censored?
On October 5, from 6-7 pm ET, we’re sharing these messages of love through the voices of our most vivacious, glamorous, and fearless community members: drag artists. Bringing these stories to life are local drag talent Coco Sho-Nell, Emi Grate, Mister Max, and Nancy Nogood, whose authenticity in themselves mirrors the authenticity in these stories.
The Reading with Love Live broadcast is a family-friendly read aloud geared towards children ages 5-8, with topics including the gender binary, trans children, parents of the same gender, and the history of the Gay Pride flag.
Let’s come together and help our kids see a bright and loving future.
Come to the library for games and a different activity each week! Kids of all ages can hang out and do crafts or STEAM activities. No registration required.
On 10/4 we’ll be celebrating Banned Books Week, an annual event celebrating the freedom to read! There will be crafts, giveaways, and trivia!
The capstone of Shout Mouse Press’s Booktoberfest event will be a thoughtful panel discussion on banned books (2:30-3:30pm) moderated by Glory Edim (Well-Read Black Girl) to honor Banned Books Week. Other panelists include: Keesha Ceran of Social Justice Books, 2022 SLJ Librarian of the Year K.C. Boyd, and two of Shout Mouse Press authors, Sasa Aakil and T’Asia Bates.
Nicole Cardoza (she/her) is a magician and storyteller. As a performer, Nicole shares her perspective on stage magic, the history and future of Black magicians, and encourages us to find the magic inherent in us all. She’s collaborated with brands including Google, Patreon, and Soho House. She’s toured the country and performed at universities, exclusive venues, for corporations and private events.
is the Freedom to Read Program Director at PEN America, leading our initiatives to protect the right of students to freely access literature in schools. Previously, Kasey served as the Associate Director of Postsecondary Policy at a mission-driven education research organization in Philadelphia, Research for Action. Kasey’s research centers students, educators, and school leaders’ experiences in identifying strategies for reform and capturing emerging best practices and strives to connect research to policy and program change. Kasey holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a MPA from the Fels Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, along with a Certificate in Politics.
