For our Sept. 26 online book club, and in observance of upcoming Banned Books Week October 1-7, we'll discuss some of the most frequently challenged books. You can find a list, provided by the American Library Association, of the 2022 most challenged here: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10
And top 10 lists from previous years, back to 2001, here:
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10/archive
Most of these are written for young adults, so they tend to be short, and as we have a five week interval between our August and September discussions, we encourage you to read more than one. We'll each talk about the books we read, and explore the larger questions about censorship and freedom to read.
You need not have attended a previous discussion to join us for this one. We'll discuss the book until about 8:00, followed by open conversation.
The Zoom link to the discussion is posted on the right, visible to those who RSVP. PLEASE NOTE: THIS LINK DISAPPEARS AT THE MEETUP START TIME, THAT IS, 7:00 PM. We'll be available from 6:50 on to help anyone who might need extra time to connect. If you can't get on, call us at 303-300-2368.
We hope to "see" you there!
If you'd like to read ahead:
Oct. 24 -- Once upon a Time We Ate Animals, by Roanne van Voorst
Nov. 28 -- The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old
Dec. -- no meeting
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More about banned books:
The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022 , the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. The unparalleled number of reported book challenges in 2022 nearly doubles the 729 book challenges reported in 2021.
Who Initiates Challenges?
Prior to 2020, the vast majority of challenges to library books and resources were brought by a single parent who sought to remove or restrict access to a book their child was reading. However, in 2022, 90% of reported book challenges were demands to censor multiple titles - and of those demands to censor library books, 40% sought to remove or restrict more than 100 books all at once.
Much more information can be found at https://www.ala.org/advocacy/