Banned Books Week  

Banned Books Week

September 30 to October 6, 2012

Celebrating the Right to Read

Please leave a comment and give us your thoughts about Banned Book Week, censorship, and/or what is your favorite banned book.

Information contained in this page is from “About Banned and Challenged Books” by the American Library Association www.ala.org.advocacy/banned.

What is Banned Books Week?

Banned Books Week is an annual event which serves as a reminder that all information should be freely and readily accessible. The event also works to draw attention to the books and materials that people and institutions have attempted to or succeeded in banning across the US.

What are the most common reasons books are challenged?

   -  Has “sexually explicit” content

   -  Contains “offensive language”

   -  Seen as “unsuited to any age group”

Ban:

The removal of a book due to the objection of a group or person

Censorship:

A change in the access status of a book based on the content of the work and made by a governing authority or its representatives. Such changes include exclusion, restriction, removal, or age/grade level changes

Challenge:  

An attempt to remove a book due to the objection of a group or person

Public Attack:

A publicly disseminated statement challenging the value of a book, presented to the media and/or others outside the institutional organization in order to gain public support for further action.

Oral Complaint:

An oral challenge to the presence and/or appropriateness of a book

Written Complaint:

A formal, written complaint filed with the institution (library, school, etc.), challenging the presence and/or appropriateness of a book