Get Ready for Banned Books Week 2018 With New Handbook

Banned Books Week 2018 kicks off this Sunday, September 23, and runs through Saturday, September 29. The Banned Books Week Coalition’s new Celebrate Banned Books Week Handbook will help booksellers prepare for the weeklong celebration.

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores, and libraries. Held during the last week of September each year, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. The 2018 theme, “Banning Books Silences Stories,” is a reminder that everyone needs to speak out against the tide of censorship. 

The Banned Books Week Coalition is celebrating the kick-off of Banned Books Week 2018 with the release of the Celebrate Banned Books Week Handbook, a free publication that can be used to guide your celebration of the right to read during Banned Books Week or any time of year. It includes programming ideas, best practices for events, resources, and tips for handling censorship. This invaluable handbook will continue in coming years with annual updates. Visit bannedbooksweek.org to view the handbook and other resources.

Booksellers can stock up on banned or challenged books thanks to Ingram’s Banned Books Week discount. Ingram is offering a special indie discount to all Ingram booksellers through September 29.

Booksellers planning Banned Books Week celebrations or displays should register on the Banned Books Week events page, which will help the book community find your event. Make sure to tag #BannedBooksWeek and ABA (@ABAbook on Twitter or @americanbooksellers on Instagram) in social media posts. Send pictures of your Banned Books Week displays to [email protected].