Freedom to Read: Banned Book Week in 11 Links

Banned Books Week, typically recognized during the last week of September, is the book world’s yearly celebration of our right to choose freely the things we read. Libraries and bookstores around the country will use this week to host events, display banned books, and further the conversation about this very real, and very current issue. Alongside these events and displays, the Internet’s book community will use its considerable weight and uncountable tentacles to create awareness and engender debate.

Here at UT Press we want to be part of that weight and one of those tentacles. We hope you’ll think about what it means to have books being banned in your community, and we hope that you’ll show support to those who stand up for your freedom to choose the books you read.

Get your Banned Books Week goods at ALA.org

1

First, some background about Banned Books Week:
http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/about

2

Several banned books appear in the Library of Congress exhibit “Books that Shaped America.”

3

Are some of your favorite books on that list and on Wikipedia’s list of most commonly challenged books in the US?

4

Banning books isn’t old news. A school district in North Carolina just banned Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man: Los Angeles Times Books Section

5

Read about the banning of Rainbow Rowell’s YA novel Eleanor & Park on thetoast.net.

6

Read about the banning of Marjane Satrapi’s amazing graphic novel Persepolis being banned in Chicago on theverge.com.

7

In honor of Banned Books Week, Brazos Bookstore in Houston and Workhouse Printmakers will be hosting one of the coolest events I’ve ever heard of:

In-house printmaking by Workhorse Printers at Brazos Bookstore, via AIGA Houston

8

Texas’ own Bill Moyers speaks elegantly about Banned Books Week:


Bill Moyers on Banned Books Week from BillMoyers.com on Vimeo.

9

More authors and celebrities speak out about Banned Book Week, including Judy Blume, Whoopi Goldberg, and Molly Ringwald:



http://www.youtube.com/user/bannedbooksweek?feature=results_main

10

The American Library Association gives you an opportunity to get involved with their Virtual Read-Out.

11

Follow the conversation about Banned Book Week on Twitter, and on Youtube, including two ‘Twitter parties’ on Monday, Sept 23, and a second on Sept 25. Use the hashtag #bannedbooksweek to participate!

Twitter, YouTube Will Promote Banned Books Week, via publishersweekly.com

— Brian Contine, Marketing & Publicity Assistant