Every year, the literary world comes together to commemorate Banned Books Week, to highlight the importance of intellectual freedom and the right to read without censorship. “As we’ve seen throughout National Library Week, as long as there are libraries, Americans’ right to read will not be overcome by censorship,” says Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada, American Library Association President, 2022-2023. “Our 2023 Banned Books Week theme – ‘Let Freedom Read’ – captures what’s at stake for our democracy: that the safety of our right to speak and think freely is directly in proportion to our right to read.”
Banned Books Week began in 1982 in response to a surge in the number of challenges to books – that is attempts by a person or group to remove or restrict certain titles from a curriculum or library collection. For the last forty years this week has been an annual celebration of the freedom to read as well as an awareness campaign to highlight banned and challenged books and to support those who have been persecuted because of the works they write, disseminate, or read. Unfortunately, the need continues. In fact, the last three years have seen record numbers of challenged books with several new state laws around the country also calling for restrictions on reading materials. These contemporary efforts to challenge books have focused especially on books by or about people of color or members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Those who want to ban books or restrict access to them argue that it is for the sake of protection. This has been a common theme since the early days of printing as those in power argued certain groups – women, children, people of color, those of lower economic status – could not be trusted to choose what to read and had to be protected from themselves. However, restricting access can actually cause harm. First, it is important for readers from marginalized communities to find representation in books because it lets them know they are not alone and that they are worthy. Taking such books away then has the opposite effect, minimizing their value or even erasing their identities. For others, books featuring diverse people and situations can foster empathy in readers who may not have the same experiences. Removing such books prevents them from understanding diverse cultures, perspectives, and religions thus perpetuating prejudice and limiting their worldview.
By celebrating Banned Books Week, we renew our commitment to preserving the right to explore diverse voices and ideas, ensuring that literature remains a powerful force for change. You can participate by reading a challenged book, engaging in discussions about censorship, and advocating for the enduring importance of intellectual freedom in our society. For more ideas on what you can do see this link. To see lists of the most challenged books by each decade going back to 1990, check out the American Library Association's Frequently Challenged Books lists. You can find a sampling of these books on our display on the third floor of the Library.