Category: Banned Books Week
Positive Impact of Banned Books Week: A Reflection from Youth Services
We have a tremendous education task to execute as advocates for the freedom to read, and Banned Books Week is one awareness tool to assist in that effort.
Scientific Censorship: Not Merely a Problem of Yesterday
By: Guest Contributor Augustus Wachbrit. Great literature and social scientific research overlap in that they often concern topics of interpersonal, political, or societal importance; when either were to be lost, human dignity surely suffers. Being vocally opposed to the censorship of the arts or the sciences is a necessity these days—one of the reasons why Banned Books Week is a fantastic initiative.
Alex Gino Shares What it’s Like to Author the #1 Most Banned Book
By: guest contributor Alex Gino. “Censorship of my writing is both so upsetting and unsurprising that it can be hard to talk about.”
“Keep the Light On” with these Helpful Tools
There are a lot of great tools, resources, and ideas available to celebrate Banned Books Week but I’m going to highlight my three favorite.
Easy Banned Books Week Programming for the Busy Academic Librarian: The Banned Books Whiteboard Survey
September is a busy month for academic librarians, but whiteboard surveys offer a relatively easy way to mark Banned Books Week and raise awareness of the issue of banned and challenged books.
Empowering Teens with Freedom of Expression
Enabling and supporting free expression lies at the core of library work. With Banned Books Week, libraries can welcome the new school year with creative and thought-provoking programs.
Don’t Leave Students in the Dark
Banned Books Week is September 22-28, 2019. Get ready to help your students celebrate their intellectual freedom rights by creating various activities to learn more about censoring books, silencing history, restricting education, and more.
Banned Books to Dissident Scholars: Promoting Higher Education Values to Curb Censorship
Over the last several years, the state of academic freedom around the world has ushered renewed scrutiny. Yet how often do we consider how remarkable it is to engage in dialogue and debate about the key concept that protects the very space that allows us to do so?
Un-American Books in American Classrooms
Books are most often challenged for language, sexual content, and violence, but what about for political reasons? A perfect storm ensues when political ideologies, race-based fears, and those seeking political gain exert influence over a school’s curriculum.
Some thoughts on ‘Questioning the Dogma of Banned Books Week’
A recently published article critiquing Banned Books Week makes several points that merit consideration, and I hope that reflecting on these critiques can help librarians and intellectual freedom supporters move toward a more thoughtful approach to anti-censorship work.