Every year, the American Libraries Association celebrates Banned Books Week to promote reading and intellectual freedom. This year’s theme is “Let Freedom Read.”
Banned Books Week brings together librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types in shared support of the freedom to publish, read, and express ideas, even those some consider taboo.
By focusing on efforts across the country to restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal in libraries and schools.
In our current climate of political polarization, librarians are facing an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. Of the record 2,571 unique titles targeted for censorship, most were by or about LGBTQ+ persons and Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
Celebrate Banned Books Week with the City Tech Library. Exercise your reading rights and check out a banned book! We have many “banned books” in our collection, and a librarian can help you find one.
