Did you know there are hundreds of books being banned and challenged every year in the good ol’ U-S of A? Banned Books Week celebrates the FREEDOM TO READ and we’re celebrating banned books all week long – come check out the (often surprising) selection of banned and challenged books – and grab 10% off any banned book you take home with you this week!
Here’s some fascinating intel about book banning, excerpted from the American Booksellers for Free Expression, the free speech initiative of the American Booksellers Association, in testimony recently given to the Senate judiciary hearing on “Book Bans: Examining How Censorship Limits Liberty and Literature.”
“The precipitous increase in book bans over the past two years represents a clear danger to the prosperity, safety, and growth of our members and their communities. Over the past year, we’ve seen a proliferation of bills in state legislatures that would censor books and limit access to lawful materials in schools and libraries, attempting to codify censorship into law in direct violation of the First Amendment.
“These bans clearly threaten free expression, equal representation in society, and free enterprise…our members nationwide have faced disruptions, violent protests, and worse based on misinformation about the content of books and the intent of booksellers.
“It is likely no coincidence that recent attempts to ban books, either at the local level or via state legislation, disproportionately limit access to books written by or for marginalized people… Book challenges especially limit speech on topics related to people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. According to PEN America, 30-41 percent of books challenged since 2021 contain characters of color or discussion of race. In the same period, a quarter to a third of banned books contain LGBTQ+ characters or themes.
“A Washington Post study showed that 75 percent of challenged picture books contained LGBTQ+ characters or themes, while 25 percent contained characters of color or mentioned race…These books are banned or challenged under the guise of not being ‘age appropriate,’ but this ignores the fact that the books are written and published to help children navigate complex topics and are selected by trained professionals following set policy guidelines.
“Of course it is important to ensure that children are reading age-appropriate material. Nobody is better equipped to make these judgments than booksellers and librarians, who draw on years of experience and in-depth knowledge of literature to curate their shelves for their communities.
“We have no qualms with parental input, either, and believe a parent should be involved in their child’s education. That does not mean parents should be allowed to dictate what other people’s children are allowed to read. Yet in many instances across the country, a small group of would-be book banners would force their own preferences on the majority of parents who value a diverse selection of books to choose from.
“Government book bans have no place in American society. The First Amendment exists to protect us from state censorship. A majority of judges appointed by Democrats and Republicans have ruled against book bans. A strong majority of parents oppose book bans—over 70 percent according to the American Library Association. The Constitution and the will of the majority are clearly on our side.”
Want to see this year’s popular banned book selections? Click below!
In addition to celebrating banned books this week, we have a bunch of events lined up. On Monday, Main Street Writes meets LIVE at the store (first Monday of the month) at 6:30 p.m. Bring your words and join the fun!
On Wednesday, we’ll host our weekly Stories on the Square, with free fruit snacks and juice boxes for your wee readers.
On Thursday, it’s our Fab Fantasy Book Club, chatting about the new fantasy hit, The Godkiller.
And this weekend, we’ll be in Italian feast mood! Saturday will see the Inaugural annual Meatball 5K Run and 1 mile fun run, a USATF-certified race through the historic district of Summerville, SC. The race begins and ends at St Pauls Church. This precedes Sunday’s annual Italian Feast on Hutchinson Square!
Experience authentic Italian cuisine, as well as food of all types from the Lowcountry to tempt every taste bud. Sample as you like and also enjoy Italian wine and beer. Enjoy the entertainment of local artists celebrating Italian Culture and Heritage throughout the day, PLUS local talent from the students of Dorchester District 2. The festivities start at 11:00 a.m. and end when the last grape is stomped at 6:00 p.m. (Hint: Stop by the store for a free Italian treat!)
For more on upcoming events, visit our EVENT PAGE HERE – There’s plenty more to come throughout this month – We’ll see you on Main Street!