The American Library Association along with the Freedom to Read Foundation designate a week each year to draw attention to the large number of books that are challenged in American libraries each year.
The choice to call this week "Banned Books Week" is purposely inflammatory in order to get eyes on the issue. The point of this week is that it gives the library world a chance to speak out about censorship in America, to speak out about the few who are trying to stifle the reading choices of all, and to speak out about how surprisingly often individuals try to stop others from choosing what they want to read. [Because there are hundreds of attempts each year, and the average person is unaware of how many challenges are happening.]
Most major media outlets pick up the press releases about "banned books" at least once during this week, which is good for the awareness, but it is important for us, the library, to make sure we make it about the Freedom to Read and not put the power in the hands of those seeking the ban the books.
Every year I have to explain to at least a dozen people that, NO, most of the books were not actually banned, but there were strong attempts to make them unavailable. Often, these patrons are confused as to why we say they are ":banned books" when they didn't actually get banned. The lead gets buried when we call it Banned Books Week.
The list books that are challenged each year says way more about the people who challenge them than about the books themselves-- what makes them uncomfortable or what they are scared of. When taken together, the most challenged books speak to the fears of subsets of our society as a whole. This is important information that while not often surprising, is a concrete illustration of larger social issues [racism, homophobia, and transphobia at the to of the list].
But when we make our promotion and displays only about those books people tried to ban, we are losing sight of the larger concept that we all in America have the Freedom to Read whatever we want without someone trying to stop our access to it.
As much of a dumpster fire that 2020 is, as messed up as our country feels right now, we are still one of the only places in the world where this Freedom to Read is preserved, defended, and honored.
Please use the resources available on the Banned Books Week website to educate your community, but consider using this week for positive. Don't make "jail" displays for the books or wanted posters. Instead ask staff and patrons to share the books they love. Have people embrace and promote titles that allowed them to grow as a person, introduce them to new ideas, people, or places. This is more in the spirit of the meaning of the week.
Instead celebrate reading. Celebrate the breadth of materials you have for every reader. Remind your community that they have the freedom to read. And check out the Freedom to Read Foundation for more all year long.
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