Read-Out this Friday at Thoreau Center

Reminder: Banned Books Week Continues

There are still a few days left in Banned Books Week (September 25 - October 2), the annual celebration of your freedom to write and read what you want. That means that you still have time to write on our Banned Books Wall on the front of the library. Thank you to everybody who has contributed and be sure to check it out to find out what some of the Thoreau Center’s favorite banned or challenged books are.

And on Friday, be sure to stop by from noon to 2:00 pm for our first ever Read-Out: spend a few minutes at lunchtime reading aloud from banned or challenged books and listen to others do the same - it’s like an audiobook but without the iPod and no volume control, and a fun way to speak out against would-be censors. We will also be announcing the winners of the Banned Books Week essay contest we sponsored for our student neighbors just down the road at the Bay School, and hopefully (their class schedule permitting) one or more of them will stop by to read their essays. If you would like to reserve a time slot to do a short reading (5 minutes or so) please contact the library at library@thoreau.org. Otherwise, just stop by - we will have a selection of banned books on hand. Refreshments will be provided.

Not sure what has been banned or challenged? Here is the top ten list for 2009 as assembled by the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom:

1. ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: drugs, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
2. And Tango Makes Three , by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: homosexuality
3. The Perks of Being A Wallflower , by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: anti-family, drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group
4. To Kill A Mockingbird , by Harper Lee
Reasons: offensive language, racism, unsuited to age group
5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
6. Catcher in the Rye , by J.D. Salinger
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
7. My Sister’s Keeper , by Jodi Picoult
Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things , by Carolyn Mackler
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
9. The Color Purple , by Alice Walker
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
10. The Chocolate War , by Robert Cormier
Reasons: nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

And some additional resources to check out:

· Amnesty International commemorates Banned Books Week by highlighting the plights of imprisoned and persecuted writers around the world: Banned Books Week 2010

· No. 1 banned author Lauren Myracle writes about her experiences in Wednesday’s Guardian: Building bridges with the book-banners

· The Office of Intellectual Freedom’s informative blog.

· And, of course, there is a Facebook page.

Banned Books Week display

Our Banned Books Week display so far. Lots of room left.

Banned Books Week at Whole Earth Library

It is that time of year again - Banned Books Week! Held during the last week of September, this event celebrates one of the most basic human rights of any democratic society: the right of intellectual freedom. It is a reminder that ongoing efforts to restrict access to books and information continue to be a major problem for schools and libraries all over the country. Books are challenged for a wide variety of reasons, but the effect of a successful challenge is always to deprive people of the opportunity to learn, to read important literature, and to be exposed to new ideas and points of view different from their own. Opposed to such efforts to shield people from ideas or to shut down voices, intellectual freedom holds that the open and civil debate of a free society depends upon a well-informed citizenry with the freedom to read freely.

The Whole Earth Library will once again join libraries throughout the country in Banned Books Week which runs from September 25 until October 2. Look for the return of our interactive, appropriate technology Banned Books display on the outside of the library wall where everyone will be encouraged to write quotes from their favorite banned and challenged books or to just share their thoughts about intellectual freedom in other creative ways. In addition, due to popular demand, our second annual celebration expands this year in a few ways:

• We are sponsoring an essay contest for our neighbors at The Bay School of San Francisco, a private coeducational college preparatory high school just down the street in the Presidio. Students will be asked to write on the subject of intellectual freedom and a sustainable future.The winner will be announced October 1.

• On October 1, there will be a Read-Out! in the hallway in front of the library. That afternoon, from noon to 2:00 pm, come and read aloud a passage from a banned or challenged book. Or sing a banned song. Or act part of banned play. We can be flexible. Refreshments will be provided. If you would like to sign-up for a specific time slot in which to read, please email the library at library@thoreau.org

If you would like to learn more and discover what books have been banned or challenged in the United States, visit the American Library Association's lists of Frequently Challenged Books. 2008's most challenged book, And Tango Makes Three, is no longer at the top of the list for 2009, but you might be surprised by some of the books that have returned to the list. Regardless, you will find lots of inspirational reading ideas.

Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.