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Banned Books Week

September 27–October 4, 2008

Free People Read Freely ®
 

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year. Observed since 1982, this annual ALA event reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. This year, 2008, marks BBW's 27th anniversary (September 27 through October 4).

BBW celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met.


Books on a Shelf Where to Begin Books on a Shelf  Books and Authors Books on a Shelf

Books on a Shelf Librarians, Students, etc. Books on a Shelf BBW Kit Books on a Shelf Challenge Support Books on a Shelf

Books on a Shelf Reporters Books on a Shelf 2007 BBW Press Kit Books on a Shelf Explore BBW Books on a Shelf

 Books on a Shelf  What was the most challenged book of 2007? Books on a Shelf

2007 Banned Books Week, September 29-October 6 Intellectual Freedom Manual Hit List for Children 2 The 80 x 15 sized banner, which fits neatly on blogs, was created by jovial_cynic and was posted at http://newprotest.org/details.pl?495

"Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us."—Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas," The One Un-American Act." Nieman Reports, vol. 7, no. 1 (Jan. 1953): p. 20.


Where to Begin

Why Banned Books Week?

Why are Books Challenged?

Who Challenges Books?

What's the Difference Between a Challenge and a Banning?

How is the List of Most Challenged Books Tabulated?

What was the most challenged book this year?

What Can I Do to Celebrate BBW Besides Displaying the Posters?

Where Can I Find Out More Information on Why a Particular Book Was Banned or Challenged?

Where Can I Go for Help to Deal with a Challenge?

How Do I Report a Challenge? (All reports are confidential!)

What You Can Do to Fight Censorship and Keep Books Available in Your Libraries

When is Banned Books Week next year?

2008, the 27th Anniversary of Banned Books Week

Especially for Librarians, Students, Young People, etc.

The ALA Store sells Banned Books Week materials. (The BBW Kit!) Support OIF by purchasing Banned Books Week materials! Phone 1-866-SHOP-ALA.

Aye, mateys . . . celebrate your freedom t' read! (html)

Banned Books Week Read-Out!

Open Your Mind to a Banned Book (PDF File

Chris Crutcher, Seattle Public Library, January 23, 2007 (mp3)

Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials (mp3)
(For more information, visit Dealing with Challenges to Books and Other Library Materials.)

Banned Books Bracelets

Banned Books Week Web Badges

Readers choose Harry Potter as favorite controversial title

ALSC Intellectual Freedom Brochure (wiki)

Explore Banned Books with Google

Harry Potter and the Censor's Flame

Explore BBW

A Quick and Easy Guide to Banned Books Week for Librarians

Where Can I Go for Help to Deal with a Challenge?

How Do I Report a Challenge? (All reports are confidential!)

What You Can Do to Fight Censorship and Keep Books Available in Your Libraries

BBW Resource Guide Short List

First Amendment Film Festival

 

Especially for Reporters

Readers choose Harry Potter as favorite controversial title

2007 BBW Press Kit

Banned Books Week expands online offerings for 25th anniversary

Book and Author Challenges

Library Association Ranks Most Challenged Books in America

Explore BBW

BBW Kit Images

Aye, mateys . . . celebrate your freedom t' read! (blog)

Banned Books Week PSAs

PSA Tips

ALA BBW PSA Scripts

Harry Potter and the Censor's Flame

Protecting Privacy, Challenging Secrecy, and Standing Up for the First Amendment

When is Banned Books Week next year?

Where Can I Find Out More Information on Why a Particular Book Was Banned or Challenged?

Curriculum Review BBW Interview

Banned Books Virtual Panel Discussion

Banned and/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century

ACLU of TX Banned Books Week Project (PDF)

Books and Authors

Challenges (Books and Authors)

Most Challenged Books of 21st Century (20002005)

Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2007 (PIO)

The Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2006

The Most Frequently Challenged Authors of 2006

Top Ten Challenged Authors 19902004

100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 19902000

Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Authors, 19902004

Top 100 Challenged Books 19901999

Graphs: Challenges by Initiator, Institution, Type, and Year

Most Frequently Challenged Books Written by Authors of Color,19902000

Explore Banned Books with Google

Library Association Ranks Most Challenged Books in America

Banned and/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century 

Additional Resources

Dealing with Challenges

Reporting Challenges

Action Guide, Suggested Activities to Celebrate Banned Books Week

What You Can Do to Fight Censorship and Keep Books Available in Your Libraries

Quotations and Links

Next Banned Books Week

September 26–October 3, 2009

Banned Books Week Sponsors


Links to non-ALA sites have been provided because these sites may have information of interest. Neither the American Library Association nor the Office for Intellectual Freedom necessarily endorses the views expressed or the facts presented on these sites; and furthermore, ALA and OIF do not endorse any commercial products that may be advertised or available on these sites.


Mail comments on OIF Web site to nperez@ala.org



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