Strangely, there are still people who would attempt to control what the public has access to, rather than simply monitor what his/her own children read. And, as we are finding in recent months, there is a renewed interest in lighting books on fire. Some seem to have trouble coping with the free exchange of ideas.
September 25th through October 2nd is Banned Books Week. Of this, the ALA writes:
Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.
Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.
Locally, there will be readings from challenged books. Mayor Segarra and “Mark Twain” will be among those participating in this event on September 30th at the Hartford Public Library. “Beware of the Book” begins at 6pm.