Next week (September 24 to October 1, 2011) is Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week is observed by many libraries, bookstores, and publishers as a time to celebrate and advocate for the freedom to read without restrictions. In addition to raising awareness about issues of intellectual freedom, the week provides a great opportunity to create displays and programs that will intrigue students and cause them to think a little more seriously about reading. Discussions and displays of banned books can be extremely provocative and useful for students, teachers, and all of us. The issue is also extremely relevant, as all sorts of books continue to be challenged on a regular basis for a multitude of reasons, including in our own schools and communities.
Next week we will be featuring more information related to banned books, including tips and tools for responding to book challenges that occur in your own school and library. In the meantime, here are some links with ideas for displays and programs you could do in your library for Banned Books Week. Display ideas include yellow CAUTION tape, WARNING and DANGER signs, books locked up in cages or jails, books wrapped in brown paper and stamped CENSORED, book burning piles, and, perhaps most dramatically, getting an administrator to come in during your book talks to shut things down and reprimand you in front of students for talking about banned books.
Display Ideas for Banned Books Week (American Library Association)
Images and Displays for Banned Books Week (Flickr)
You could always schedule your school’s Banned Books Week for some other time during the year, so if you’re not going to be ready for next week don’t think you need to wait a whole year to do it.
