Banned Books Week

What is Banned Books Week?
Banned Books Week is an annual event started by the American Library Association (ALA) in 1982. This week-long event, held during the last week of September, raises awareness of freedom of speech through celebrating challenged books and the value of free expression.

What do we mean when we say “Banned” and “Challenged” books?
A book is “challenged” when a person or group objects to the materials and attempts to remove or restrict their accessibility. A book is “banned” when this removal is successful.

Thanks to the work of libraries and the ACLU, most book challenges are now unsuccessful.

Who does the challenging?Books
There is a misconceived notion that the term “banned book” means the government is trying to  interfere in the public’s access to these works. According to the ALA’s website, parents of school aged children are responsible for challenges more often than any other group. The ALA website states that that the top three reasons books are challenged are:

  1. the material was considered to be "sexually explicit"
  2. the material contained "offensive language"
  3. the materials was "unsuited to any age group"

Challenges are typically done on a small scale by a group of concerned citizens who attempt to have the materials removed from their local libraries and bookstores.

Why Does ACLU fight to defend the freedom to read?
The ACLU is dedicated to the protection of free speech and free expression. When a small group of individuals tries to keep the rest of society from reading a book or viewing a painting they are impeding that freedom by attempting to dictate what is and is not acceptable expression.

Challenged Books in Oregon

The ACLU of Oregon has worked with the Oregon Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee, the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, the Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse, and the Oregon Association of School Libraries Intellectual Freedom Committee, to create a searchable Excel spreadsheet of challenged books and other materials in Oregon libraries from 1979-2009. Both a PDF and Searchable Excel File of this database are available to the right under "Related Documents." (Updated Sept. 21, 2009.)

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET INVOLVED?

  1. Read a Banned Book! Click here to view a list of commonly challenged books.
  2. Come to an event in your area (clickable for event calendar)
  3. Start a Banned Book Club with your friends, co-workers, and family

 

buttons

Buttons

Each year, thanks to a generous donation, the ACLU of Oregon sends out thousands of "I Read Banned Books" buttons to libraries and bookstores across the state.

In 2008, we distributed buttons to more than 250 libraries in 31 counties -- a 30 percent increase in requests compared with 2007.

Look for the bright-yellow buttons in your local library -- and wear one to show your support for intellectual freedom!

Click here to find a list of libraries and bookstores particpating in our Banned Books Week button program!