Books are a source of knowledge for many people. In America, everyone has the privilege to read any kind of content they want. Libraries across the country protect this freedom in October with an event called Banned Books Week, and our school’s library is no exception. This year, from Oct. 5-11, Prep’s library celebrated Banned Books Week with displays, games, and a powerful message. The theme for this year is “Censorship is so 1984,” a reminder that censorship isn’t just a thing of the past.
Inside Prep’s library, students found a diverse selection of popular books that had, at some point in time, been challenged or banned. Many of these books are ones you may have read in class, seen adapted into movies, or even grown up loving. Books like The Hate U Give, To Kill a Mockingbird, and even Harry Potter are examples of books that have been subject to some kind of scrutiny. These books were banned or challenged because some people didn’t agree with the ideas in them. But that’s exactly why they’re important.
“Even if some people don’t like that information, it doesn’t deny another person the right to pursue that knowledge,” said faculty member Mrs. Drabant. “And pursuing that knowledge of different ideas can open our minds and open us up to perspectives.”
Outside the library, students were able to test their knowledge with an interactive guessing game. Each card featured a quote from a book ban or challenge. Students could try to guess the title before lifting the flap to reveal the answer!
Banned Books Week also aligned with National Information Literacy Awareness Month, which was started in 2009 by President Obama. On the second floor, students found posters and infographics about fake news, conspiracy theories, and how to find trustworthy information.
“If you think you’re not a reader, it just means you haven’t found the right book yet,” Mrs. Drabant said. “Sometimes the books people say you shouldn’t read are the ones that make you think the most.”
So, whether you are a book lover or just curious, Prep hopes you stopped by the library for this unique event. Maybe you found your next favorite read while standing up for the right to read at the same time.
