![Picture](/uploads/4/5/9/0/45900245/banned-book-bookshelf_orig.jpg)
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. 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.
Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically, this is held during the last week of September and 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 that may be considered unpopular.
The theme for this upcoming Banned Books Week (Sept. 23 – Sept. 29) is “Speak Out for Banned Books!” The words in these banned and challenged books have the ability to connect readers to literary communities and offer diverse perspectives. And when these books are threatened with removal from communal shelves, your words have the power to challenge censorship.
Each year, the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom records challenges to books in libraries and calculates the top ten challenged books. This year’s list explores a range of genres (young adult, fiction, memoir) and formats (novels, graphic novels, picture books), but they have one thing in common: each book was threatened with removal from spaces where diverse ideas and perspectives should be welcomed.
How Can I Get Involved?
There are lots of ways to be involved in Banned Books Week 2018! First and foremost, talk about issues of censorship and intellectual freedom with your friends and families. Better yet, read and discuss a book that has been challenged.
Participate in Banned Book activities that support our Freedom to Read. The MVHS Book Club is hosting activities for BBW that will be held Sept 24-28th. Come in the library and take part in the games, activities and a Read Aloud that will be held during both lunches and after school on Wednesday. Students who Tweet any of our BBW activities using the hashtag #MVHSlibraryBBW during banned books week will have for a chance to win a literary themed gift basket. (Drawing to be held Friday at 1 pm).
You can:
Take a selfie with a banned or challenged book.
Share a reading from a banned book.
Post a quote on the corkboard from your favorite banned or challenged book (or a quote about censorship).
Share a story about an educator who has helped you learn about the power of words.
Decorate a Banned Books bookmark.
Tweet or IG something about a banned book or author.
2018 Banned Books Week Activities in the MVHS Library
Monday:
Participate in a read-a-loud, decorate a book mark or facepainting with a BBW theme. Tweet out your opinion or favorite BBW book/author and get an entry in our raffle. Make a statement supporting the first amendment and your right to read!
Tuesday:
On Your Own: Create a book mark in our special banned book display area or color a Banned Books Week graphic from the American Library Association. You can tweet a picture of it to enter our Twitter contest. You can also use our Library Instagram account if you don't have Twitter. Browse though the books and read our information boards.
Wednesday:
Banned Books Week Trivia challenge--Test your banned book knowledge against your peers. Come into the library and play a trivia game for fun prizes like gift cards, candy and a copy of your own banned book!
Thursday:
On Your Own: Bring Your Own Banned Book for an informal discussion with free refreshments. Create a book mark in our special banned book display area or color a Banned Books Week graphic from the American Library Association. You can Tweet a picture of it to enter our Social Media contest. You can also use our Library Instagram account if you don't have Twitter. Browse though the books and read our information boards.
Friday:
Make a BBW Button or Bracelet in the library as we continue our celebration of Banned Book Week! Don't forget to tweet out or IG your favorite event from the week and please take our concluding event survey!
Moreno Valley High School Library staff and volunteers would like to thank:
Yumeka Brown - Program Officer from the Freedom to Read Foundation
Em Claire Knowles- Freedom to Read Foundation Banned Books Week Committee Chair
MVHS Alumni/ BBW Decorators: Lily and Adrienne
MVHS Book Club members and friends 2018
MVHS Library Teachers Aides and Volunteers 2018
Volunteer Photographer: Barney Garcia
Becky Clark; for the morning announcements
Ms. Nedy Salcedo, Librarian
Ms. Ramin, Co Adviser Book Club
and especially the Judith F Krug Memorial Fund Banned Books Week Grant, for making
this event possible.
Teresa Mares
Co Adviser, MVHS Book Club