Banned book read-out set at UWL’s Murphy Library

Kristin Pekoll, assistant director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, will share her unique experiences facing several book challenges (and a potential book burning!) when she served as a young adult librarian. 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. A challenge is a formal, written complaint requesting a book be removed from library shelves or school curriculum.

The James V. Brown Library is open from 9 a.m.to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; and 24/7 at www.jvbrown.edu. OIF estimates that less than one-quarter of challenges are reported and recorded.

“This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read”, say organizers. How can you bring attention to the issue of book banning in an effective way?

Participants will read passages from books that have been banned or challenged in public, school or academic libraries during an event at next week at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Numerous books which have been banned or challenged are beloved classics. During Banned Books Week, thousands of libraries and bookstores will focus on the harms of censorship and celebrate the right to choose reading materials without restriction.

NCAC and our Banned Books Week partners know this all too well. Censorship denies our freedom as individuals to choose and think for ourselves.

Banned Book Week runs September 27-October 3 this year. This year’s observance commemorates the most basic freedom in a democratic society -“the freedom to read freely”, and encourages not to take this freedom for granted.