2024 Banned Books Week Grant Recipients

Albany Public Library, Albany, New York

Women: Freed Between the Lines

Albany Public Library’s 2024 "Women: Freed Between the Lines" event drew attention to how books impact our freedom and the need to continue to support the access of diverse voices related to the experience of women in our country and communities. The event included representation from local community groups, including the League of Women Voters, that provide educational materials. Eleven local area actors, poets, and musicians will perform excerpts from banned and challenged books written by women with a strong focus on books from women of color and/or lesbian and/or transwomen. The event also incorporated an update on the work related to the Equal Rights Amendment to give women the constitutional affirmation of their rights for which they have long struggled.

Friends of the Frankfort Library, Indiana

Freed Between the Lines

Each year, the Friends of the Frankfort Library sponsors a youth play or musical. The 2024 “Freed Between the Lines” program brought together several community groups to work with the Clinton County Youth Theatre (CCYT). Many young people auditioned for a part in the musical. CCYT players read a banned or challenged book and created a piece of performance art to share with the community. After they researched the stories, youth participated in a workshop series to explore how performance art can be created and viewed as a form of resistance. Regional artists focused on varying media helped the youth create their pieces. The program culminated with an evening Banned Books Week performance presented in the Skanta Theatre, followed by a reception where we shared banned books information and provided book giveaways.

Hostos Community College, Bronx, New York

Librarians from the Hostos Community College Library collaborated with the “Black at Hostos” event series to organize a panel on libraries’ resistance to censorship, which included librarians from our three public library systems and ALA President Emily Drabinski. Banned Books Week at Hostos included a Banned Book Film Festival, daily outreach at the highest-traffic point on our campus, and a student essay contest. Hostos librarians and a New York Public Library librarian co-sponsored the daily outreach event, Banned Books on the Bridge, to register students for public library cards. The library distributed originally-designed bookmarks that promote the freedom to read and include a QR code to a LibGuide about important developments in the fight against censorship and ways students can get involved.

Lewes Public Library, Delaware

Banned Books/Silenced Voices

The Lewes Public Library sponsored Delaware Shakespeare for an original performance of “Banned Books/Silenced Voices.”. The event was also streamed live via Zoom. The performance featured three actors reading moving selections from some of the most popular—and most censored—books in America. The actors brought to life the authors’ own words about the harm done in censoring the authors’ and others’ works. The free performance was presented by the Lewes Spoken Word Society through generous support from the Freedom to Read Foundation, Browseabout Books, Cape Henlopen Lodge #2540, John and Sally Freeman Foundation, Sussex County Department of Libraries, M & T Charitable Foundation, Sussex County Council, Rotary Club of Lewes-Rehoboth Beach, and the Delaware Division of the Arts.

Loutit District Library, Grand Haven, Michigan

Freed Between the Lines Project

Over the course of five weeks, the Loutit District Library offered their Freed Between the Lines project. The project was divided into four parts: an educational exhibit, programming, a reading challenge, and book displays. Due to the increase in book challenges, Loutit expanded the educational impact of their 2024 Banned Books Week (BBW) exhibit with historical and current information. It included an interactive component that invited patrons to open a blank book cover showing only the reason for being banned to reveal the actual book cover and some of the book’s reviews. They hosted a  new event titled “A Community Conversation About Censorship: A Panel Discussion,” offered a repeat of a successful reading challenge using Beanstack, and displayed banned books to make a strong statement of support for intellectual freedom.e

2023 Banned Books Week Grant Recipients

Keller ISD Families for Public Education, Fort Worth, TX

Freedom to Read Festival

North Texas feels like the book banning capital of America. We planned a family/community Festival that brought the magic to our community that only a trip to the library or an elementary school book fair can bring! We worked with authors, publishers, and a variety of organizations to bring the hope of reading back into our community. Our "Freedom to Read festival," included speakers, author signings, book giveaways, activities, and a book fair. The festival sent the message loud and clear, "Let Freedom Read!" We inspired kids and the community to celebrate the freedom to read. And we educated and empowered them to fight for that freedom to read. 

Georgia Southern University, Savannah, GA

Scavenger Hunt

Banned Books Week at Georgia Southern Libraries encouraged students to “recognize issues of access or lack of access to information sources.” A scavenger hunt asked students to act like detectives working to identify the title and physical location of a banned book in the library, as well as to articulate why that book was banned or challenged. Each student group/team was assigned a different book. Other events for Banned Books Week included an open mic night dedicated to the topic of censorship as well as an interactive display that allowed attendees to take a selfie in front of a “wanted for reading” poster. Patrons added their selfie to the “Wall of Shame Fame” to create a visualization of the Georgia Southern community in support of the Freedom to Read.

George Washington High School, Philadelphia, PA

Field trip and person-on-the-street interviews.

About 30 Northeast Philly-based students went on a field trip to a high-traffic Center City area, where they encountered daytime business/working crowds to engage those adults in person-on-the-street interviews in front of a display of banned books (created in partnership with local independent bookstores). The students were prepared with intentionally shocking questions about the reach of book bans in a Jeopardy game board, in order to both educate interviewees and create viral video content that could have a wider impact. At the conclusion of each interview, students asked interviewees to take a single step--contact a legislator, sign a petition, share one of the student clubs' social media posts, etc.--to combat book banning. Interviewees selected a banned book from a collection that the students had raised funds to be able to share.

North Bergen Free Public Library, North Bergen, NJ

Freedom Tree.

In their week-long celebration, the library offered paper-wrapped “blind” banned books, with a description and reason for ban written on the cover. Patrons who checked-out these books earned raffle tickets for themed gift baskets. There were also themed storytimes that featured banned children’s books. Participants created a “Freedom Tree” by writing about freedom of expression or their favorite banned book on “leaves” [see video clip]. The library also created a photomosaic of participants reading banned books. An open-mic night encouraged participants to read aloud passages from banned books that speak to them. The focus was on banned authors of Latinx descent and books involving immigration, due to the cultural makeup of our community. The Library hopes that this will inspire continued awareness of the need to represent all voices in every library.

2022 Banned Books Week Grant Recipients

Athens-Clarke County Library – Athens, GA
Staff at Athens-Clarke County Library will take inspiration from their permanent exhibit “Imagination Squared: Pathways to Resilience” to stand up to the challenges that are getting closer and closer to all communities. The exhibit features nearly 2,000 5”x 5” block squares that were decorated by community members on the theme “What Resilience Means to You.” The squares span an entire wall and make a significant impact on library visitors. Participants in their Banned Books Week program will decorate a 5” x 5” canvas board using the theme “Books Unite Us.” The event will be aimed at all ages with one program for teens and one for the community. Each event will begin with an overview of Banned Book Week, the importance of intellectual freedom, and the harm that comes from book banning. An art instructor at the University of Georgia who is also the founder of Imagination Squared, will speak about resilience and how art helps build connections. 

Friends of the Chesapeake Public Library – Chesapeake, VA
Chesapeake Public Library (CPL) wants to fight back against the division that comes with attempts at censorship. To raise awareness, staff are making banned books the focus of their third annual Black Ink festival, an all-day festival that celebrates local authors of color. During this year's festival, they will offer writing workshops, poetry slams, panel discussions on the importance of diversity in the publishing industry, a tent giving away free copies of banned books and a keynote speech from Chesapeake's own Kwame Alexander. Kwame has had several books banned, including New York Times best-seller "The Undefeated". During his speech, he will speak to all the ways that books unite us. Black Ink is for all-ages. With the ongoing book challenges in their local school district, this year's festival will target local middle and high school students— especially those who are underserved. The program will highlight their growing partnership with administrators and teachers at Chesapeake Public Schools.

Kean University, Common Read Program -  Sayre, PA
Kean University’s Common Read Program will include students, faculty, and administrators from General Education, Psychology, English, Speech Language Pathology, ESL, Communications, and others as they join to read one common book. The Common Read Program champions the idea that a single book can join a diverse community together, expanding critical thinking habits for the institution at large. After a multi-step selection process, the 2022 common read book chosen is one the ALA’s top-ten most challenged books of 2021: LGBTQ+ activist George M. Johnson’s memoir-manifesto All Boys Aren’t Blue. Kean University will welcome Johnson to campus on October 11, 2022, National Coming Out Day. As Johnson is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the Common Read program is working alongside Greek life to engage fraternities and sororities as part of the welcoming ceremony. After a meet & greet and book signing, Johnson will engage in a short reading followed by a student-led Q&A. Afterwards, they will celebrate Johnson’s visit with a gallery reception at the University Human Rights Institute. 

Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County Library - Kenton, OH
Staff of Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County Library will host a program “Books Unite Us- Expanding Our Cultural Horizons” including a “world fair” of stations where patrons will learn about banned books in diverse cultures and societies. Each station will detail a culture/society and why they banned specific books. Attendees will receive a “passport” to have stamped as they complete their trip around the world. The program will include an in-person opportunity at the beginning of Banned Books Week, as well as a digital version for those who cannot attend. The online program will include daily updates from each culture/system and ask for online participation- rewarding participants with virtual items such as free printables, digital resources, and physical prizes/items that can be mailed. The heart behind this program is to encourage participants to broaden their knowledge of other cultures and belief systems. Staff hope that participants will be able to see banned books in a different perspective- and learn more about other cultures and systems. 

Medina County District Library  - Medina, OH
The Medina County District Library (MCDL) is collaborating with Medina County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC), Access the Arts, and all 6 District Library locations to provide programming to children and teens ages 10-18 from Medina County, Ohio focused on “Books Unite Us: Censorship Divides Us” through artistic mediums including painting, poetry, and music. Because staff felt the celebration of the Freedom to Read needs more than a single week, their timeline began in July 2022 and runs through March 2023. 

"Students from all over the county, including students from our juvenile detention center, united to contribute to our community mural which depicts their artistic interpretation of the concept of censorship while displaying a love of books and reading" said Suzie Muniak, Assistant Director of Medina County District Library.

Finished and recorded projects will reflect the uniqueness of the youth of Medina County, and the  collaborative effort made to create a work of art promoting their freedom to read.

Sidney Silverman Library at Bergen Community College - Paramus, NJ
Staff at the Sidney Silverman Library at Bergen Community College hope their program will demonstrate why talking about and learning from challenged or banned books creates empathy, unity and understanding by highlighting shared experiences. Using the Readers’ Theater reading fluency strategy, a selection of readings from banned books will be turned into scripts which will be read by students and faculty before a live audience in the Student Center and/or an Outdoor Classroom. Events will be supported by a series of posters which will be placed across the campus and will highlight the selected books explaining the reason for the challenge or ban as well as relevant quotes from scholars and writers. Volunteer students, faculty and staff will select various challenged children’s books and read aloud to students at the College’s Child Development Center and a display of banned or challenged books will be created in the Sidney Silverman Library. The celebration will culminate in a student trip to New York City to see a production of “The Kite Runner” on Broadway.

2021 Banned Books Week Grant Recipients

Acadia Parish Library, Crowley, Louisiana.
A recent challenge raised awareness for staff that they would like to promote education about banned books. Staff will host a Parish-wide Banned Books Week Poster Contest for Elementary, Middle School, and High School students to raise awareness of Banned Books Week and the issues of censorship and banned books. All entries to the contest will be put on display at The Acadia Parish Library and winners will be selected from the three age groups. Winning entrants will receive $100 for a first prize winner, $50 for second prize, and $25 for third. They will host a community-wide reception at the end and the posters will be on display through October.

Highland County District Library, Hillsboro, Ohio
will hold a week-long Banned Books Festival. One highlight is “Dear Banned Author” Day, during which patrons will have the opportunity to write letters to their favorite authors whose works have been banned. The festival will culminate on Friday with a Banned Books Discussion and Dinner, catered by a local business. Throughout the week patrons will be given tickets to be entered in a drawing for a banned book-themed gift basket. The more activities patrons attend, the better chance they will have of winning. The five gift basket themes will be: Harry Potter, To Kill a Mockingbird (southern-themed basket), The Great Gatsby (1920s-themed basket), Lord of the Flies (survival/camping/hiking-themed basket), and The Call of the Wild (dog-themed basket). 

New Madrid County Library, Portageville, Missouri.
To bring awareness of censorship and banned books to the county’s young people, the library will sponsor an essay contest for all high school and middle school (grades 6-8) students using the “Books Unite Us, Censorship Divides Us” theme. They will award cash prizes of $100 for 1st place, $75 for 2nd place and $50 for 3rd place in both high school and middle school. While adult patrons may be aware that books such as A Catcher in the Rye or To Kill a Mockingbird have been banned in the past, they may not be aware that book censorship is still happening. For this reason, the library will create a display in a high-traffic area and titles that have been challenged or banned during the past 1-2 years will be displayed along with older titles such as those mentioned above.

Patchogue-Medford Library, Patchogue, New York
will offer a wide variety of opportunities for its diverse community.  A main display will include banned and challenged books wrapped in kraft paper, with the reason for the challenge written on the outside. During the week anyone who checks out a banned book from the display will receive a themed mug. The library will host a community wide ‘Hide A Book’ activity where banned and challenged books will be placed in local businesses for people to find and keep. The main event will be a live author talk featuring Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America. She will talk about the necessity of free speech, listening, and debating to create productive conversations in a democratic society. Patrons may also attend remotely. Finally, the library will offer an educational webinar for staff developed by the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom.

West Lake Middle School and Northglenn Middle School, Broomfield, Colorado.
The only school on the list this year will celebrate by pairing banned books with primary sources, studying events that took place during the time when the book was written, and studying any events that followed the publication of the book. Teachers and staff members will be creating videos about a banned book that impacted them. The videos will be featured on posters with QR codes throughout the district buildings that students can scan to learn more about the titles and experiences. The videos will also be featured in a Goosechase Online Digital Scavenger hunt. Goosechase offers an online experience that allows for interaction, text, GPS location and image clues. There will be prizes offered for the Goosechase Scavenger Hunt and a display in the library about how censorship is a dead end. 

2020 Banned Books Week Grant Recipients

Cambria County Library

The Cambria County Library (Johnstown, Pennsylvania) will be celebrating Banned Books Week with events that will center on the history of the Beat Generation and banned books. This year will mark the 65th anniversary of the Six Gallery reading in San Francisco, where one of the most infamous banned books — “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg — was read for the first time. To celebrate this milestone, the library welcomes Jami Cassady, daughter of cultural and literary icon Neal Cassady, who will present a virtual lecture for the library. The celebration will also feature a history presentation, a banned book reading and a reading challenge through Beanstack (a virtual platform). Because of the COVID-19 virus, the library plans to host all activities online.

Center for Transformative Action/Ithaca City of Asylum

The Center for Transformative Action (CTA) /Ithaca City of Asylum (Ithaca, New York) will celebrate Banned Books Week with a free live-streamed presentation and conversation by two internationally acclaimed cartoonists who have paid a high personal price for their work, a cartooning workshop and contest for children in summer programs in libraries in Ithaca and Pittsburgh, and a virtual exhibit of political cartoons on the website of Tompkins County Public Library in Ithaca. Organized by CTA’s Ithaca City of Asylum (ICOA) project, the celebration is a collaboration between ICOA, City of Asylum/Pittsburgh, Tompkins County Public Library and other organizations.

The featured cartoonists are Pedro X. Molina, who fled Nicaragua in 2018 and is now ICOA’s writer-in-residence, and Rob Rogers, who was fired that same year by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for his cartoons critical of the president. Both will work virtually with children in library summer programs, judge a cartooning contest and curate an online exhibit in addition to presenting their work and taking questions in a free online event.

The event will replace Ithaca City of Asylum’s annual in-person celebration of Banned Books Week, which has typically included readings, performances or panel discussions. It will be ICOA’s first live online event and first substantive programmatic collaboration with City of Asylum/Pittsburgh, a fellow member of the International Cities of Refuge Network and an important cultural institution in its community. 

Both City of Asylum programs provide refuge for persecuted writers from around the world and advocate for freedom of expression in the creative arts. “Voices of Freedom” is normally ICOA’s main fundraiser for the year, and a representative will make a pitch for donations. 

Central Washington University Libraries

Central Washington University Libraries (Ellensburg, Washington) is dedicating Banned Books Week 2020 to raising up LGBTQIA+ voices and stories in literature. The libraries will be working with campus and community partners to create and offer programming around LGBTQIA+ literature, including a moderated panel discussion featuring librarians, students, and community members; an author talk; a book club discussion; and book giveaways. The libraries will also create additional programming that will highlight banned books with a LGBTQIA+ theme, such as book displays and a reading bingo of suggested readings centered around the theme.

Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library

Since its founding in 2009, the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library (Indianapolis, Indianapolis) (KVML) has championed the legacy of banned author Kurt Vonnegut and the principles of free expression and common decency by operating a museum and lending library and by offering unique programming. One important annual KVML event is Banned Books Week. This week features a variety of themed events — artistic exhibitions, lectures, panel discussions and always a “prisoner” jailed in the museum for the week behind a wall of banned books.

To date, KVML’s Banned Books Week has reached 3,500 participants, and its Banned Books Week programs have earned international recognition. In 2020, KVML will celebrate Banned Books Week by offering a series of events focused on civic engagement and youth writing. Events will include youth writing workshops, a reading of the original play “Kurt Vonnegut: WordPlay”, a reception for a women’s suffrage 100th anniversary traveling exhibit and discussions about censorship and freedom of expression.

Manor High School Library

Manor High School Library (Manor, Texas) will celebrate Banned Books Week by showing how social taboos change over time and how book banning events reflect the tensions that existed in society at a moment in time. This is envisioned as a living timeline that visitors will "walk" through on a self-guided basis, either physically or online, with one banned book selected for each decade from 1930 to 2020, for a total of 10 stops in all. In addition to the main exhibit, there will be games and contests: name the pictured author, eyebrow raising contest, limerick contests, drawing contests and a book walk (similar to a cake walk).

Maricopa Public Library

The Maricopa Public Library (Maricopa, Arizona) is planning a community Banned Books Week event in order to celebrate this year's theme, "Censorship is a Dead End," as well as bring awareness to the city and patrons on the importance of intellectual freedom. The event will include a “Mystery Hint Search” in collaboration with local businesses and a “Murder Mystery of Banned Book Characters Party” for those who complete the puzzles. All players of the final mystery game will represent favorite banned or challenged characters. In a two-pronged way, Maricopa Public Library will plan and host the event as well as create displays in the building to feature Banned Books Week. In addition to the event, the Maricopa Public Library will also create educational and informative multimedia displays that will initially focus on Banned Books Week and will grow to become a Maricopa Public Library staple.

The displays will consist of a mobile display unit and dedicated screen that allows patrons to explore the facts surrounding banned/challenged material. Each multi-media display will contain links to additional information through the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom, games, questionnaires and multiple copies of challenged material and additional take-home information.

2019 Banned Books Week Grant Recipients

Academy of the Sacred Heart - New Orleans, Louisiana This is the Academy’s first Banned Books Week event and they will transform their library into a Book Prison.  Students, faculty, and parents will be encouraged to come into the library to have their "mugshot" taken with their favorite banned book and a "Caught Reading" sign.  Faculty members will be dressed as "cops." As part of the transformation, the library will also conduct an escape room which students will need to free the banned books.   As a culminating event, they will have a Read-out of a banned book. The entire lower school will participate in the darkened auditorium with each student holding a flashlight to “Keep the Light On”. They will hold other events throughout the week that engage students of all ages. To learn more about their activities, visit: www.ashrosary.org. 

Belen Public Library - Belen, New Mexico The Belen Public Library is dedicating the 2019 Banned Books Week to issues surrounding Women and Censorship.  Belen, New Mexico is a town of 7,300 people with a broad diversity of perspectives. From families who arrived in Belen in the 1740s as the first Hispanic settlers of the region to families who arrived in the last few years.  The area is rich and varied in the lifestyles, spiritual traditions, and political perspectives of the residents. Women in the area range from traditional homemakers and home-educators to the world-renowned feminist artist Judy Chicago, and every nuance in between. The beauty of such a diverse community can be challenging when it comes to defending everyone’s right to intellectual freedom and freedom of expression. In partnership with other local organizations dedicated to maintaining the wide diversity of views and expressions in our community, they intend to offer a week of exhibits, performances, presentations, and community discussions exploring the experiences and perspectives of women around censorship.  Issues include women’s political expression and suffrage, banned books by women, social censorship of women, women and social media, and women’s bodies and art. To learn more, visit: http://www.belen-nm.gov/belen-public-library.aspx.

Oceanside Public Library - Oceanside, California The 2019 theme for Banned Books Week at Oceanside Public Library is “Escaping Censorship.” Staff will create an escape room, with the goal of players trying to “escape censorship”.  The Library will partner with a local nonprofit art studio, Studio ACE, to offer art programs for all ages, focusing on the theme of censorship with the artwork created in these classes as centerpieces in the Library’s Escape Room.  Participants who “escape” the banned books Escape Room, will earn a t-shirt customized for this project. The library participates in a monthly city-wide Art Walk, a popular arts and culture festival, where the banned books artwork, Escape Room materials, books, and information about censorship will be on display to foster community dialogue about the importance of the freedom to read. 

Park University Library - Parkville, Missouri The Park University Banned Books Week project will be themed "Love is Love," and will focus on banned books featuring LGBTQIA+ characters, authors, and content. As a larger library endeavor, library staff have been striving to have more inclusive collections, particularly regarding LGBTQIA+ characters and authors, since they feel the University underrepresents LGBTQIA+ students in events, programming, and inclusion efforts. The project will engage students, faculty, staff, and community members on a topic rarely discussed on campus, and it will be their first official Banned Books Week event.  Learn more at https://library.park.edu/home. 

Worcester County Public Schools - Newark, Maryland The three Worcester County Public high schools will celebrate Banned Books Week with stations set up in the library that encourage patrons to celebrate reading banned books and advocate for the freedom to read. Stations will include creating short videos reading pages from banned or challenged books, writing postcards to authors thanking them for writing books worth challenging, choosing to read banned or challenged books, and posting to social media or creating posters to encourage others to protect our freedom to read.  During the culminating event, students and community members will participate in Banned Books Week Trivia and discuss Banned Books and surrounding issues. Learn more at http://worcesterk12.org/.

2018 Banned Books Week Grant Recipients

Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA. Library staff will host an "Edible Banned Books Festival," where professional and amateur bakers create a banned book cake masterpiece. Local patrons and community partners will vote for noteworthy banned book delicacies and bid on their favorite cakes to then take home. All money raised will be donated to Literacy Volunteers of the Winchester Area.

Independence Public Library, Independence, KS. The library will promote three local events: a community-wide mural competition with a concept of the freedom to read; a debate between the local community college and high school debate teams about censorship; and “Rock the Block: I’m with the Banned,” a community-wide street celebration celebrating the freedom to read.

James F. Byrnes High School, Duncan, SC.  In their program “Some Rights Reserved: South Carolina Speaks Out,” students and staff will highlight book challenges that have occurred in South Carolina and censorship issues in STEAM.

Moreno Valley High School Book Club, Moreno Valley, CA. The highschool will plan activities such as a banned book “cartmobile,” a jailbird photo booth opp, a hands on trivia game, crafts and an informal book discussion. This will be their first Banned Book Week/Freedom to Read event.

Suffolk Public Library, Suffolk, VA.Through their “Banning Books Silencing Stories: Alt Rebels” program, library staff, patrons, and community members of all ages will be given the opportunity to explore and focus on banned books as seen through the lens of an alternative universe scenario where books are banned, and ideas are dangerous.

Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC. The university will highlight books that have been banned across the state of North Carolina in libraries and in prison systems. Interactive week-long activities will build off this year’s theme of “Banning Books Silences Stories.”