Happy Banned Books Week!

We're celebrating Banned Books Week from September 25 thru October 2! Libraries across the country are celebrating intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular.

Did you know that books are still banned and challenged in the United States? Many books that are now considered classics, were banned in either the U.S. or abroad at one time. Today, people still attempt to have books removed from libraries and school curriculum for various reasons. The most popular reason has been "unsuited to age group."

Come on in and check out our display and a book that has been banned/challenged!

For more information about Banned Books Week and complete lists, visit: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/index.cfm

The Top 10 Most Frequently Banned Books of 2009 were...

1. ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: drugs, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
2. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: homosexuality
3. The Perks of Being A Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: anti-family, drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group
4. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Reasons: offensive language, racism, unsuited to age group
5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
6. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
7. My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
Reasons: homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, violence
8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
9. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
10. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Reasons: nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group