Skip to Main Content

Banned & Challenged Books

A guide to Banned Books Week, held annually in September, and to the books found in the ECC Library that have at some point in time been banned or challenged in the U.S.

Banned Books Week 2024 (Sept 22-28)

 

Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlighting current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. Launched in 1982, the annual event has brought 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. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in U.S. libraries and schools. 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. - ALA Website

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the damage and toxicity of censorship. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted by librarians and teachers across the country.

Participate in Banned Books Week events being held on the ECC campus!