Banned Books Week
September 25 -- October 1
Banned Books Week is the national book community's annual celebration of the freedom to read. The celebration was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores, and libraries. According to the American Library Association, more than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982. Hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events.
For more information about Banned Books Week and a history of book censorship and challenges, visit bannedbooksweek.org (sponsored by the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress) or the American Library Association's Banned Books Week page atala.org/bbooks/bannedbooksweek. You can also check out displays and blog entries from previous Banned Books Week celebrations here in East Library by clicking on the Banned & Challenged link at right.