FREEDOM TO THINK – THE BANNED BOOK PROJECT

Every year the Library celebrates the freedom to read by participating in the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week, observed during the last week of September since 1982.

Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose and the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular. Banned Books Week stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints. Intellectual freedom can exist only when people have the opportunity to express and access a variety of opinions and viewpoints.

Librarians, teachers, and booksellers are constantly working to protect people’s freedom to choose for themselves what they read. Due to these efforts most books that have been challenged do not end up becoming banned. They remain available for people to chose on there own whether to read them or not.

The Library Bill of Rights states that:

"Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents – and only parents – have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children – and only their children – to library resources."

Celebrate your right to read freely.