When is Banned Books Week?
Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is an annual event, which starts the last week in September. Banned Books Week 2011 will be held September 24-October 1, 2011.
Who sponsors Banned Books Week?
The sponsors of Banned Books Week are the American Booksellers Association, the
American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the American Library Association (ALA), the Association of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the National Association of College Stores. In addition, the Library of Congress Center for the Book endorses Banned Books Week. In 2011, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, National Coalition Against Censorship, National Council of Teachers of English, and PEN American Center also signed on as sponsors.
When and why was Banned Books Week established?
According to the
American Library Association,
"Observed since 1982, the annual event reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted.
"Banned Books Week (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."
For the many libraries that observe
Banned Books Week, it's a chance to educate the public about their freedom to read and challenges to that freedom.
What does the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Say?
The First Amendment states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Where can I obtain more information?
See
All About Book Banning and Children's Books for more of my articles about the subject.
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