Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. Banned Books Week is traditionally held during the last week of September and draws national attention to the harms of censorship. The event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community -- librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types -- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas. 

The theme for Banned Books Week 2024 (September 22-28) is "Freed Between the Lines." We can find freedom in the pages of a book - but book bans and censorship threaten that freedom, along with many other rights and institutions. 

For additional information on Banned Books Week visit the American Library Association's Banned & Challenged Books.