Banned Books Week | September 18-24, 2022
Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. For 40 years, the annual event has brought together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.
In a time of intense political polarization, library staff in every state are facing an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 729 challenges to library, school and university materials and services in 2021, resulting in more than 1,597 individual book challenges or removals. Most targeted books were by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ persons.
The theme for Banned Books Week 2022 is “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.” Sharing stories important to us means sharing a part of ourselves. Books reach across boundaries and build connections between readers. Censorship, on the other hand, creates barriers. Banned Books Week is both a reminder of the unifying power of stories and the divisiveness of censorship, and a call to action for readers across the country to push back against censorship attempts in their communities.
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While the library offered many big programs this summer, our branch storytimes were very well attended. The library staff and families were happy to get back to inside programming where stories, music, puppets and crafts provided fun and laughter for all. Lanesville, Elizabeth and Palmyra all offered a weekly storytime. Watch for youth storytimes and programs to start up again at all four branch locations in September. Calendars will be available towards the end of August.
One hundred and forty people attended the Puppet Show performed by the Esarey Family on Wednesday, July 20, at the Boys & Girls Club in Corydon. Nikki Esarey, Palmyra lead circulation associate of Harrison County Public Library, and her daughters, Hannah and Elizabeth, her sister Linda Foster, and her mother, Dolly Zinser Adams, set up the stage and put on a great show of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and the Three Billy Goats Gruff. Ms. Nikki talked about how you can make your own puppet like those she made for Goldilocks and the Three Bears and entertained the crowd between the set changes. Everyone there was entertained with puppet magic while learning puppet skills to try at home.
Last week the library held two fun events for families. Pirate Night was held on the evening of Tuesday, July 12 at the Main branch. Eight different stations were set up with pirate themed activities such as getting a tattoo, making a spy glass, learning to talk like a pirate, and walking the plank. On Friday, July 15, the library hosted a Bubble Party on the square in downtown Corydon. Activities included making a giant bubble, creating a bubble wand, blowing bubble snakes, and popping bubble wrap along the sidewalk. Teen volunteers helped man stations at each of these events. Both events had a great turn out and the library hopes to offer more of these types of events for the whole family to enjoy.
