Censored Books Take Center Stage

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Created on Friday, 05 October 2012 15:02

Written by Brian Stone

LYNDON - This week is the 13th Annual Banned Books Week. Sponsored by the American Library Association, Banned Books Week is organized to show the importance of the first amendment and raise awareness of censorship.

Books can be banned from both school and public libraries, if the content is deemed inappropriate to allow open access. Some of the most challenged banned books in 2011 included The Hunger Games, To Kill a Mockingbird, and the Gossip Girl series. 

 The Colbeigh Public Library in Lyndon has created their own way of showing the message of banned books and censorship.

 "We set up a display of banned books," said librarian Cheryl McMahon, "so we pull the titles, and there have been hundreds of challenged titles throughout the years. We set it up and make it so it looks as if it's  inaccessible. At this point we have the chicken wire to look like it's inaccessible to emphasize the point that somebody, somewhere, does not want you to read these books." 

 Authors, poets, and storytellers in Montpelier also had a reading of banned books on Thursday evening.