Banned Books Week
Friday, October 14, 2022
Beyond The Caution Tape: Banned Books Week 2022
Photo Essay

ABA collected photos of member bookstores Banned Books Week displays. We were so inspired by what many stores shared that we decided to create a Special BTW Banned Books Week Photo Essay. Please enjoy the wonderful and creative store displays made by fellow ABA member stores! Thank you to all of the stores who submitted Banned Books Week displays. 

As we continue to recognize and celebrate the freedom to read throughout the year, remember to sign and share ABFE’s banned books petition. The petition is for independent booksellers to collectively condemn the growing attacks on books and offer support to schools and libraries. A BookWeb login is not needed in order to sign the petition. Sign the petition and ask bookselling friends and colleagues to sign.

Whitelam Books (MA) made a window display as seen above and to the left! They also featured their booksellers' favorite banned books, along with current reasons those titles had been banned! They shared reports and links from PEN America, ABA, and ALA around bans and challenges to titles. They also handed out stickers and buttons. Check out their awesome window display of the "I Read Dangerously" design!

ABA is still taking orders for the temporary, waterless "I Read Dangerously" tattoos. Booksellers, you can sell them in your stores! The tattoos wholesale for $1.25 each, and the minimum order is a quantity of 150. The tattoos retail for $2.99 each. All net profits from sales go to the American Booksellers for Free Expression. Email your order to [email protected]. Be sure to include your name, store, address, and best way to contact you.

Carmichael's Bookstore (KY) set up displays at all their stores! They shared photos online of staff with their favorite banned books, created special bookmarks, and buttons with a QR code that took people to the Brooklyn Public Library site for free e-books and audiobooks. They also created a photo-op for customers to pose with a sign saying "apprehended reading banned books." 

Underground Books (GA) partnered with their regional library system to promote their Banned Books Bingo Challenge. They gave rewards in store credit to those who completed rows of prompts by reading banned books all month long!

The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza (NY) made an in-store banned books display!

Four-Eyed Frog Books (CA) made room within their limited space to create a display showing that they fully condemn the attack on books, especially in schools and libraries. They created a display of books with the reasons they have been attacked clipped to the books, and provided a printout of all the books contested in the last year. 

Atlanta Vintage Books (GA) made a display of banned books at their front entrance, including a banned children's book display, in-store trivia, and a limited edition "*may contain banned books" tote bag!

Downtown Books (NC) has promoted free access to books in schools, libraries, and communities. They live in a tourist destination, and their Banned Books Week display as seen above and to the left, brings numerous people from other states into the store to talk about what is happening in their communities. Their display has been very popular!

Parnassus Books (TN) had an in-store display with banned books and merchandise. They also did a post on their online literary magazine, Musing, about some of their staff's favorite banned/challenged books!

Roundabout Books (OR) set up a Banned Books Week display two weeks before the official week so they could engage with customers early! They also posted on social media every day, highlighting different books, and posted the ABA graphic, "How Many Banned Books Have You Read."

Let's Play Books (PA) featured a banned adult & kid book per day! They hosted a letter writing campaign all week in their event space, and hosted a fundraiser for the National Coalition Against Censorship Kids’ Right to Read Project.

Spelled Ink (VA) hosted a banned books bingo night!

The Brewster Bookstore (MA) held a Cape & the Islands Banned Books Scavenger Hunt. They also had a Banned Books display, educating the community why books are banned and challenged!

Three Sisters Books (IN) had a Banned Books display table and window display. They also had Banned Books Week trivia throughout the store!

White Whale Bookstore (PA) had a Banned Books Week display and helped The Pittsburgh Prison Book Project achieve a donor match goal.

Last, but not least, we'd like to say thank you to the ABA Team Members who helped make the Banned Books Week kits. The kits were sent out to our member stores to use for Banned Books Week displays. We'd like to give a special thank you to ABFE Director David Grogan for all of his help making our Banned Books Week events happen. 
 
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