Banned Books Week 2015, September 27-October 3, will soon be upon us! What will you be doing to celebrate the freedom to read? Below are several ways you can participate in this year’s festivities and they are all FREE.

Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out!

For the fifth year in a row, ALA and the sponsors of Banned Books Week will host the Banned Books Virtual Read-Out!, where readers can upload videos of themselves reading a passage from their favorite banned/challenged book on YouTube to be featured on the Banned Books Week YouTube Channel. Check out instructions on how to participate as well as this compilation video from ALA’s Annual Conference.

For the second year in a row, SAGE Publication and the Office for Intellectual Freedom sponsored a Virtual Read-Out Booth at the ALA’s Annual Conference in San Francisco. Check out the playlist for possible ideas on what you can read!

Live Events

If you would like to participate in an in-person event in your area, check out the events page for more information. You can also add your event to that page by using any of the applicable forms on that page. If you are in New York, we hope you will join us for this event:

Celebrating Banned Books Week: A Conversation with Banned and Challenged Young Adult Authors

Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 7 p.m. – FREE!
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
126 Crosby Street New York, NY 10012

Join the sponsors of Banned Books Week for an exciting conversation with banned and challenged Young Adult authors, including David Levithan, author of Boy Meets Boy and Two Boys Kissing, Meg Medina, author of Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, which has been banned in some areas due to its title, and Coe Booth, author of Kinda Like Brothers. The discussion will focus on the topic of censorship, each author’s experience being banned or challenged, and the importance of free and open access to all books, especially for young adult readers. The conversation will be moderated by David Shipler, author of Freedom of Speech: Mightier Than the Sword.

Webinars

How to protect the Freedom to Read in Your Library

Tuesday, September 29, 2015  9am PST/ 10am MST/ 11am CST/ 12pm EST

What do you do when a patron or a parent finds a book in your library offensive and wants to take it off your shelves? How do you remain sensitive to the needs of all patrons while avoiding banning a title? How can you bring attention to the issue of book banning in an effective way? In this 1-hour webinar, three experienced voices will share personal experiences and tips for protecting and promoting the freedom to read. Sponsored by SAGE Publications and ALA.

Click here for more information and to register

READ a Banned Book

Go to your local library and check out a frequently challenged book.

Social Media

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! Also, consider updating your facebook and twitter pages with free downloads including this twibbon.

Stay tuned throughout the week for more information.