BANNED  BOOKS  WEEK is SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 – OCTOBER 1, 2016, and this year’s theme is “STAND  UP  FOR  YOUR  RIGHT  TO  READ.”

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. This week highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week 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 to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.

This year we have set up the Banned Books display a little early so that we have plenty of time to bring attention to this issue. The books featured in the display have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools around the country.

While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens because of the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read. As part of the display, we have included a poster with suggestions for getting involved.

All the books in the display can be checked out.