banned books week

banned books week

Are you planning to join the Banned?

Are you planning to join the Banned?

, books
Have you read any of the following books in the past year? a. The Fellowship of the Ring, by J. R. R. Tolkien b. Any book in the Harry Potter series c. Looking for Alaska, by John Green d. The Holy Bible If you have read at least one of the above books in the past year, congratulations: you’ve read a banned book. Banned books are titles that have been challenged or banned from public institutions, schools and other places, often at the behest of concerned parents or members of the public. While the aims of these individuals seem wholesome on the surface, their actions constitute censorship, denying you access to books and other reading or viewing materials you want … Continued
In Honor of Hermione Granger’s Birthday (She’s 35 this month!)

In Honor of Hermione Granger’s Birthday (She’s 35 this month!)

, , books
Remember the first time you read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? Even if you haven’t read the books (they’re available in the library, it’s never too late!), you’ve probably seen the movies. And even if you haven’t seen the movies, I’m sure you’ve at least heard of Harry Potter, right? Well, this September marks Hermione Granger’s 35th birthday. She was Harry Potter’s best friend, and later on *SPOILER ALERT* Ron Weasley’s girlfriend/wife. In honor of her birthday, let’s take a look at the various accomplishments and aspects of the Harry Potter franchise. According to The Telegraph, (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/harry-potter/8592280/Pottermore-JK-Rowling-facts-and-figures.html), an estimated 400 million copies have been sold worldwide, in over 68 languages. Also, J.K. Rowling was the first author to become … Continued
Ban it, burn it, bury it….but whatever you do, don’t read these books!

Ban it, burn it, bury it….but whatever you do, don’t read these books!

, books, Frances Yates, Jesse Whitton, Programs 0 Comments
Each year hundreds of books are challenged. What does the word “challenged” mean? Challenged is defined as a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. Whether the challenge is based on sexual explicitness, sexuality, racism, religious viewpoints, violence, offensive language, or many other issues, some of the these books are removed from circulation. Last year alone, 326 books were challenged. Perhaps some of your favorite books made this list. (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedclassics/reasonsbanned)  This year marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week (http://www.bannedbooksweek.org). Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries.  Banned Books … Continued
Ban, Baby, Ban

Ban, Baby, Ban

Heidi Huff 0 Comments
September 24th – October 1st is Banned Books Week.  That’s b-a-n-n-e-d, not “band books” on musical instruction or the latest Maroon 5 bio.  The American Library Association (ALA) dubs Banned Books Week as “an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment.”  This week “highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted banning of books across the United States.” Why would anyone want to ban a book? You might ask.  Justifications range from teaching children disobedience to portraying homosexual lifestyles to using offensive language, and much, much more.  Included in the top 100 banned/challenged books for the 20th Century are the following: … Continued