Banned Books Week

September 2017

The Banned Books Week Coalition is a national alliance of diverse organizations joined by a commitment to increase awareness of the annual celebration of the freedom to read. The Coalition seeks to engage various communities and inspire participation in Banned Books Week through education, advocacy, and the creation of programming about the problem of book censorship. The 2017 celebration will be held September 24 – September 30.

Henry Gerber was among the earliest gay rights activists in America. He founded the nation’s first gay organization and gay publication.

Censorship

http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/

Hundreds of books have been either removed or challenged in schools and libraries in the United States every year. According to the American Library Association (ALA), there were at least 311 in 2014. ALA estimates that 70 to 80 percent are never reported.

Explore these pages for more information:

More information on banned/challenged books can be found on the American Library Assocation’s frequently challenged books pages.

13 Facts About the Most Controversial Books

BANNED BOOKS WEEK VIDEOS

POSTERS IN THE EXHIBIT

According to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) – which tracks reports of book challenges and bans and compiles an annual Top Ten Challenged Books List – there was an alarming 17% increase in book censorship complaints in 2016. Since most challenges are not reported, the actual number is probably much higher. Even more disturbing, while only 10% of the titles reported to OIF are normally removed from the institutions receiving the challenges, half of the most frequently challenged books were actually banned last year.