Banned Books Challenge
September 20 — October 31, 2024
Reading is Empowering!
The American Library Association celebrates the right to read every year with Banned Books Week (September 22-28, 2024). Loutit District Library joins this celebration all month long through programs, exhibits, and a reading challenge. The theme for Banned Books Week 2024 is “Freed Between the Lines”. Learn about new perspectives and celebrate the freedom to read with books that have been challenged or banned throughout the years with us.
In addition to an educational exhibit on the library’s upper level, Loutit District Library features displays of frequently challenged or banned books throughout the library during October. Reread your favorite or discover the dangerous power of reading with a new title. Earn 250 points and four activity badges to win a Banned Books or Loutit-themed prize of your choice and an automatic entry into our Banned Books Grand Prize drawing!
We’re encouraging the whole community to join. It’s free to participate, and you don’t have to have a library card unless you want to check out a book!
The Basics
Log your reading and activities to earn badges throughout the challenge. Each exercise encourages you to learn, read, and stand up to censorship.
Collect 250 points and four activity badges to receive your finisher prize! Finisher prizes include a magnet and your choice of candy, magnets, bookmarks, LDL bracelets, coupons, and more. Prizes will be available starting Monday, September 30, at both the Youth Services and Reference & Information desks.
Point guidelines:
• Earn 1 point for each minute of reading (e.g. 30 min. = 30 points).
• Earn 20 points for completing activities.
Read Books (or anything else!)
Each minute of reading is another point closer to your goal! Although we are encouraging you to read a banned or challenged book, any type of reading counts for your minutes. You can read a magazine, eBook, graphic novel, or newspaper, or listen to an audiobook! It’s that simple!
We encourage you to use Beanstack to participate in the challenge, but if you would like to use a paper log, you may print one here or pick one up in the library. Not sure what to read? Try one of the books on our physical displays or from our BiblioCore lists below.
What is a ban? What is a challenge?
Books are being banned and challenged every day. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. We believe 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.
You may view Loutit District Library’s collection development policy here to learn how we decide which materials to purchase.
Why focus on banned books?
Sharing stories that are 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 nationwide to push back against censorship attempts in their communities.
Banned Books Programs
Click any of the events below to learn more and register.
Banned Books Week Trivia
Monday, September 23 at 7:00 PM at Odd Side Ales
Test your familiarity with books and authors that have stirred controversy throughout history. Whether you’re a book lover or a trivia enthusiast, come for the competition, stay for the conversation, and leave with a deeper appreciation for the right to access diverse ideas.
A Conversation About Censorship
Thursday, September 26 at 6:30 PM in Program Room A/B
Join a panel of professionals from various fields, including library law, library leadership, psychology, and authors. Listen to our panelists share their experiences of how book banning, censorship, and intellectual freedom have impacted their professions and the people they advocate for. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions!
“Freedom to Read… and Create!” Drop-in Craft Party
Saturday, October 26 at 10:00 AM-2:00 PM in Program Room A
Celebrate your freedom to read with a crafty and bookish afternoon! We will have a brief presentation on the history of banned books and intellectual freedom, followed by a drop-in craft party! All crafting supplies are provided for free.
Get Started
Registration for The Banned Books Challenge starts now! If you have used the Beanstack website or app in previous years, simply log in and join the challenge!
For those who are new to Beanstack, click here to register, or download the Beanstack Tracker App on the Apple App Store, or the Google Play Store for Android.
Contribute
Please consider making a donation to support library programming year-round.