CMU Libraries to celebrate Banned Book Week
Central Michigan University Libraries is celebrating Banned Book Week from Sept. 18 to 24 to bring attention to books that have been removed from the shelves of libraries and schools throughout the U.S.
Key themes of the celebration are the harmful effects of censorship and the right to free and open access to information. To highlight these issues further, CMU Libraries have curated a selection of these books.
Some of the titles include "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe and "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas. "Gender Queer" focuses on the author’s journey of self-identity while navigating issues such as how to come out to loved ones, trauma, and childhood crushes. "The Hate U Give" follows a 16-year-old Black girl after she witnesses an incident of police brutality that turns deadly.
Both books placed first and fifth on the American Library Association’s list of Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021.
According to the ALA, reasons given for the challenges include featuring LGBTQ+ content, promoting thoughts of an anti-police sentiment and indoctrination of a social agenda
These books, including others on CMU Libraries' banned book list, can be checked out online.
