It's been Banned Books Week, all week, but I haven't mentioned it. I know but since I do censorship coverage and news all year long, and because they bumped this event into October, I really didn't have time to write about it this week. Well, except for today.
I did want to let everyone know that Saturday, October 7, 2023 is Let Freedom Read Day. We should let our patrons know because the day is about action and how they can take it. From the home page for the event:
The freedom to read is under attack — let’s do something about it!On October 7, 2023, we’re asking everyone to take at least one action to help defend books from censorship and to stand up for the library staff, educators, writers, publishers, and booksellers who make them available!
Show us how you’re taking action on social media by using the hashtags #LetFreedomReadDay and #BannedBooksWeek!
And don’t forget: Censorship won’t stop just because Banned Books Week does — you can take action any day of the year! Bookmark this page for future reference.
The page also has this link to a one sheet you can handout at the library. And as the literature says, these are any day of the year actions. So promote it this week, but don't stop promoting it.
You should also check out my ongoing coverage of censorship issues here. I am on the record as saying that Book Riot's Kelly Jensen does he best job covering the issue. Click here for all Book Riot censorship coverage.
Finally, for Banned Books Week, Book Riot and Every Library released the results of this National survey of what parents actually think about Book Bans. Spoiler, they are not fans.
When you are feeling the heat at your library though, simply remind everyone, yourself included of this: Free People Read Freely. It's really that easy. Free people decide for themselves (or their children) and only themselves, what they read. Full Stop.
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