It’s that time of year again! The last Monday in September begins the annual American Library Association’s Banned Books Week:

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year. Observed since 1982, this annual ALA event reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. This year, 2007, marks BBW’s 26th anniversary (September 29 through October 6).

BBW celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met.

We often hear about someone not being happy that their precious child might happen to see something that the parent doesn’t want them to see when they go to the library. PROTECT TEH CHILDREN!!! is very often the reason given for a book being challenged or taken off the shelves. (Sally Kern is noted for wanting to decide what we can and can’t read, for instance. Those evil gays…) Thankfully though, we have some kick ass librarians who don’t like being told what people can and can’t read.

So in honor of BBW, check out the list of 2006’s most challenged books, and read one you haven’t read yet. Or at least help spread the word, and if possible check out some of the BBW events! I do have to give a big SHAME ON YOU Oklahoma City Metro Libraries though. The only library listed as having any BBW Events is the Muskogee Public Library. (However, if any fellow Okies know of a OKC or other library that does have something going on, please correct me.)

Technorati tags: banned books week, censorship, american library association, freedom to read