Saturday Morning Book Club
Saturday, September 21, 2024 — 10:30 am to 11:30 am
Join us to discuss a banned or challenged book of your choice.
September 21, 2024
Event Information
When
THIS EVENT HAS ENDED
Saturday, September 21
10:30 am to 11:30 am
2024
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Where
Berlin-Peck Memorial Library
234 Kensington Road
Berlin, CT
This year, Banned Books Week is September 22-28, 2024 and Freedom to Read Day is on September 28, 2024.
To defend the freedom to read, this month for Saturday Book Club, instead of everyone reading the same book, we will each read a banned or challenged book of your own choice.
What’s the difference between a challenge and a banning?
A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection.
—From the American Library Association’s About Banned & Challenged Books page
Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. Typically (but not always) held during the last week of September, the annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas. The next Banned Books Week will be held September 22-28, 2024. The theme of this year’s event is Freed Between the Lines.
—From Banned Books Week
Book Ban Data
The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has released new data documenting book challenges throughout the United States, finding that challenges of unique titles surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022 numbers, reaching the highest level ever documented by ALA.
OIF documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship, as well as 1,247 demands to censor library books, materials, and resources in 2023. Four key trends emerged from the data gathered from 2023 censorship reports:
- Pressure groups in 2023 focused on public libraries in addition to targeting school libraries. The number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92% over the previous year, accounting for about 46% of all book challenges in 2023; school libraries saw an 11% increase over 2022 numbers.
- Groups and individuals demanding the censorship of multiple titles, often dozens or hundreds at a time, drove this surge.
- Titles representing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47% of those targeted in censorship attempts.
- There were attempts to censor more than 100 titles in each of these 17 states: Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
—From the American Library Association’s Book Ban Data page
About Freedom to Read Day
On September 28, 2024, Banned Books Week is celebrating Freedom to Read Day by 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!
Use the links below to find banned or challenged books to read. These lists include many books for children and young adults, but many adult options too.
- Book Résumés
- Top 10 Most Challenged Books and Frequently Challenged Books Archive by Year, from 2001-2022
- Top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books: 1990-1999
- Top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books: 2010-2019
Want to attend online?
If you are unable to attend in person, and would like to attend virtually via Zoom, please call us at 860-828-7126 or email us at library@berlinpeck.org for the Zoom link.
Photo and Video Disclaimer
The Berlin-Peck Memorial Library, as a public place, reserves the right to photograph and record groups and individuals using library services and attending library programs, and to publish those photographs and videos publicly in its newsletter and on social media outlets. Please contact 860-828-7125 with questions.
Accommodations Statement
If you require special accommodation for any library sponsored event, please call 860-828-7125 or email library@berlinpeck.org at least ten (10) days prior to the event.