Banned Books

A group to discuss banned or challenged books and related topics such as censorship, intellectual freedom, privacy issues within publishing, etc. Please keep discussion respectful and open to the opinions of others, which may not be the same as your own.

We will focus each year on Banned Books Week, an annual USA-based celebration in September and October.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”—First Amendment of the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution

“Intellectual Freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored. Intellectual freedom encompasses the freedom to hold, receive and disseminate ideas.”—ALA Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q & A

“Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.”—Article 3, ALA Library Bill of Rights