Celebrating Banned Book Week 2022!

"Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. For 40 years, the annual event has brought 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. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. 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".

"The theme for Banned Books Week 2022 is "Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us." Sharing stories important to us means sharing a part of ourselves. Books reach across boundaries and build connections between readers. Censorship, on the other hand, creates barriers. Banned Books Week is both a reminder of the unifying power of stories and the divisiveness of censorship, and a call to action for readers across the country to push back against censorship attempts in their communities".   -American Library Association

You may be interested to see some of the titles which have been challenged (and banned in some places) throughout the years.  Over the past decade, the following books have made it onto the Top Ten Most Challenged Book List compiled by the American Library Association, and some titles made were on the list multiple years):

 Skippyjon Jones

Harry Potter

The Hunger Games

Captain Underpants

Drama

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Bible

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Banned Book Week 2022 is being celebrated from September 18 - September 24, 2022.  Stop by the library for more information and to see a display of some books that have been frequently challenged and the reason for the challenge.