Banned Books Week September 24-30

Image Credit: Florian B. CC-BY

Every year in America dozens of books are “challenged” and in some cases removed from libraries or school curricula. Some of these books contain violence, controversial political ideas, or sexually graphic content. Some of these books confront dominant ideologies and raise essential questions about identity, governance, religion, or race.
Many librarians view the practice of banning books as a form of censorship that inhibits the free flow of ideas. That’s why every September libraries across the country celebrate Banned Books Week to draw attention to controversial and important books that have shaped American literature and thought.
Among these books are important texts like The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Tony Morrison’s Beloved, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man.
On display in the City Tech Library, you’ll find a selection of mysterious banned books that you can borrow. We’ve covered the books to highlight the reasons they were banned. This September, the City Tech Library invites you to stand up for freedom and read a banned book!