Banned Books Week

Starting Sunday, September 25, Kimbel Library and Bryan Information Commons is hosting Banned Books Week with events to highlight ongoing censorship.

If you need a bit of levity, join a live Twitter session on Tuesday or roast marshmallows on Thursday.

Burning to share your favorite banned book? Volunteer any day to read a few passages for a video compilation. After months of planning the events, Hailey Schaub is eager to read a memoir for the video. She's still deciding which memoir, though, and is open to any suggestions.

There're even displays featuring banned books ready for you to checkout and read in solace off-campus.

Of course, Banned Books Week is more than an excuse to have fun with coworkers or read blacklisted books. It's a chance to resist ignorance and promote growth.

Censorship is, even in the best scenario, a narrowing of perspective, directly contradicting the spirit of inquiry that we, as educators, strive to foster in students, colleagues, and the community. This week, we have an opportunity to remind everyone of those dangers and of the value in unrestricted perspectives.

To that end, maybe you'd care to share your perspective with us? Is there a banned work that deserves the attention of the campus or a taboo topic that we need to discuss? Contact us directly with your thoughts or, better yet, collaborate with us this week and share your perspective with everyone at Kimbel Library. We'll be waiting for you.

Banned Books Week is fully realized thanks to the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund of The Freedom to Read Foundation, whose mission is the protection of intellectual freedom. This grant was obtained by Christi Rippy, now with the Office of Philanthropy.