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The Bridgeport Public Library Celebrates Banned Books Week!

Bridgeport, WV – Banned Books Week is September 22nd through 28th and the Bridgeport Public Library is celebrating censorship awareness in honor of the occasion! Banned books are publications that have met resistance in the process of being made available to the public. Some wildly popular books began their existence in this manner such as the Harry Potter series and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Throughout the month of September, Banned Books will be displayed and celebrated at the Bridgeport Public Library. Adult readers are invited to enter our “Banned Books Reading Challenge” in order to qualify for a chance to win a prize! Teens will be discussing their favorite Banned Books at their weekly meeting on September 23rd from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Younger readers, ages 4 to 11, are encouraged to attend this month’s “Pizza & Pages” on September 26th at 6:00pm where they will focus on banned books! For more information on Banned Books at the Bridgeport Public Library, please contact Sarah Nora at 304-842-8248. About Banned Books Week Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community – librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types – in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. Check out the “frequently challenged books” section of the American Library Association’s website to explore the issues and controversies around book challenges and book banning. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read. For more information about the ALA or Banned Books Week, visit www.ala.org.