CHICAGO – The American Library Association’s (ALA) Public Information Office (PIO) is gearing up to work with the Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) on the 28th annual Banned Books Week, held Sept. 26 – Oct. 3.
Observed since 1982, Banned Books Week is an annual event sponsored by ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). It celebrates the freedom to read and reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted.
This year’s celebration will kick off on Sept. 26 with a “Read-Out!” event at historic Bughouse Square on Chicago’s North Side. Authors will perform readings from their banned or “challenged” books and will sign copies of their works.
Online resources are available to help local libraries publicize Banned Books Week activities. Free downloads, display ideas, activity ideas, PSA scripts, a letter to the editor and a proclamation are available at www.ala.org/bbooks. Posters, bookmarks, buttons and a BBW resource guide are available for purchase.
For more information on Banned Books Week or the Read-Out! event, please visit www.ala.org/bbooks or contact Jennifer Petersen at (312) 280-5043, jpetersen@ala.org.
The Intellectual Freedom Committee of the Virginia Library Association urges all libraries to mark Banned Books week (Sept. 23 – Oct. 3) this year by creating displays in your libraries and to participate in the IFC’s display contest. Many people do not understand that it is not only books that they do not like that are vulnerable to being banned, but actually many books that they read and treasure. For example, the Bible is one of the most banned books of all time.
Send photos of your displays by October 15, 2009 to Jim Sanderson, IFC Chair, either by mail or email.
Mail: James W. Sanderson; West Avenue Library; 2907 West Avenue; Newport News, VA 23607
E-mail: jsanderson@nngov.com.
Prize: Bragging rights when winner is announced at the VLA Conference in Williamsburg.
Thank you for participating.
Timothy L. Coggins, Member
VLA Intellectual Freedom Committee
University of Richmond School of Law Library
No books have been banned in the USA for about a half a century. See “National Hogwash Week.”