Banned Books Week, celebrating the freedom to read, will be held the last week of September.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week and the theme is "30 years of Liberating Literature." The NYCLU has readings scheduled across the Capital Region, including on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. at the Schenectady Public Library; Friday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. at The University Club in Albany; and Saturday, Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. at Market Block Books in Troy.
Banned Books Week is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,000 books have been challenged since 1982. According to the American Library Association, there were 326 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2011. Many more challenges go unreported.
Sunday, Sept. 23 at 2 p.m.
Schenectady County Public Library
99 Clinton Street
Schenectady