Banned Books Week

September 24-30 is set aside to celebrate Banned Books Week, an annual event which advocates for the freedom to read. The F.H.G. Library exhibit this year features African American writers whose works are listed on the banned books list. Some such authors include Maya Angelou, Coe Booth, Alice Childress, Nikki Grimes, Carolivia Heron, Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, Mildred Taylor, and Alice Walker, most of whom are showcased in the exhibit on the 2nd floor. These books can be taken from the exhibit case and checked out.

It is important to recognize that even now, books are still being challenged by library users. The ALA defines the difference between “challenged” and “banned” on their website at www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks: “A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials”. What many people fail to realize is that challenging a book can mean subsequent removal of the item which then restricts the access of information to others. Banned Book Week thus draws our attention to these books that, either in the past or currently, are being challenged in this way.

We, the staff and faculty at F.H.G. Library, encourage you to explore some of these featured authors, as well as check out other challenged and banned books this week!