Indie Bookstores Mark Banned Books Week on Social Media
- By Liz Button
Printer-friendly versionBanned Books Week 2019, the annual celebration of the freedom to read, is being held from Sunday, September 22, to Saturday, September 28, and this year bears the theme: “Censorship Leaves Us in the Dark. Keep the Light On!”
The annual event serves as the most important opportunity during the year for advocates — publishers, booksellers, librarians, educators, journalists, and readers — to explain why it is important to defend everyone’s right to choose what they want to read and view.
As always, the Banned Books Week Coalition, of which ABA is a sponsor, is supporting independent bookstores’ celebration of the fight against censorship and for free expression with programming ideas, promotional materials, and other resources, available here.
Bookselling This Week recently toured social media to see all of the activities, displays, discounts, and special events going on at indie bookstores in honor of Banned Books Week.
Roundabout Bookshop in Bend, Oregon, posted on Instagram: “Banned Books Week is here! Can you imagine your indie bookstore or local library without some of these important books? Keep the light on these titles and celebrate the freedom to read!”
Andover Bookstore in Andover, Massachusetts, posted on Instagram: “It's Banned Books Week! So come in this week and buy a book that has been banned and chat with booksellers about why censorship is bad.”
Gathering Volumes in Perrysburg, Ohio, posted on Facebook: “This week is Banned Books Week! The Top 5 Most Challenged Books of 2018 were:
2. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss, illustrated by EG Keller
3. Captain Underpants, written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey
4. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
5. Drama, written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier
Check out the full list and learn why they are challenged here”
Kona Stories Book Store in Kalua-Kona, Hawaii, posted on Instagram: “How many banned books on your shelf?”
Books & Books, with mutiple locations in Florida, posted on Instagram: “What do THE GREAT GATSBY, THE COLOR PURPLE, HARRY POTTER and even CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS have in common? They were once banned. Ahead of Banned Books Week, today's #TheLiteraryLife podcast features David Grogan, Director of Advocacy at the American Booksellers Association and Sydney Jarrard, Content Director at ABA, shining a light on the importance of keeping our freedom to read intact. Tune in: https://bit.ly/2NGatRJ”
Kicks Mix Bookstore in Newark, Ohio, posted on Twitter: “*Possible Trigger* It’s Banned Book week at Kicks Mix! Did you know a lot of banned books deal with real life situations (portrayed as fiction of course)?”
San Marco Books in Jacksonville, Florida, posted on Twitter: “It's Banned Books week. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? made an appearance in January 2010. Author Bill Martin Jr. happens to have the same name as an obscure Marxist theorist, no one "bothered" to see if they were the same person.”
The Bookies Bookstore in Denver, Colorado, posted on Facebook: “Banned Books Week 2019 is happening now. Come in today to see our display and learn more about the books that are challenged each year.”
Foggy Pine Books in Boone, North Carolina, posted on Twitter: “Banned Books Week is back! From September 22nd to the 28th, we will be offering a 15% discount on all banned books located on our banned books display. Come out and celebrate your freedom to read by standing up to censorship. We hope to see you then!”
Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul, Minnesota, posted on Instagram: “We read banned! Banned Books Week starts today. Come check out some of the previously banned titles and see why you should read them.”