Next week is Banned Books Week, an annual event dedicated to raising awareness about book bans and challenges and celebrating our freedom to read. The last year saw a dramatic increase in book challenges nationwide, disproportionately affecting books by and about BIPOC and LGTBQ+ people.
Books provide a crucial outlet for everyone, and especially young people, to learn about the world and themselves. Removing those books from school curricula and library shelves does a disservice to all of us.
“As someone who is going into education to teach English, I am passionate about students being able to discover various perspectives through literature and fear for the continued rise of these bans.” – DePaul student
There are lots of ways to celebrate Banned Books Week at DePaul this year:
- Read a banned book (we’ve got plenty on offer at the library!)
- Share your perspective on books and book challenges
- Stock up on Banned Books Week swag: Stop by our table in Kelly Hall inside the John T. Richardson Library on Monday, September 19 anytime between 11am-3pm
- Attend City Lit Theater’s Books on the Chopping Block! Performance featuring dramatic readings from the most frequently challenged books of the past year on Wednesday, September 21 at 1PM in the John T. Richardson Library (Room 103) or virtually via Zoom. Register here.
- Visit the Banned Books Exhibit on the first floor of the John T. Richardson Library to learn about the intersections of book challenges and social justice. The exhibit opens on Monday, September 19 and will be up through the Autumn Quarter.
Plus, check out additional events hosted by libraries worldwide and explore our Banned Books Week resource guide to learn more.
We hope you’ll join us next week and advocate for the right to read for yourself and your community throughout the year.