Banned Books Week Review blunders

It's hard to believe, but even librarians can make mistakes. Here are some funny moments from the filming of our Banned Books Week video reviews. Hope you enjoye the reviews (and outtakes) as much as we enjoyed making them!

Banned Books Week Review

Our final 1-minute review in honor of Banned Books Week. Remember Banned Books Week is almost over, but you can get these titles at the library anytime!

Banned Books Week Review

Banned Books Week continues with more 1-minute book reviews of challenged and banned titles from our staff. Stop by the library to see a display of even more titles.

Banned Books Week Review

Today's Banned Books Week video review features a title that faced a local challenge...

Banned Books Week Review

Banned Books Week continues with this staff review of Twilight...

Banned Books Week Review

Another 1-minute review of a title from the national Challenged & Banned Books list...

Banned Books Week Review

Welcome to Banned Books Week, a celebration of the Freedom to Read!

Banned Books Week is an annual recognition of the thousands of titles that have been challenged or banned throughout the country over the years, and of the importance of books in our culture. A Challenged book is one that someone has requested be removed from a public, school, academic, or special library shelf but wasn't necessarily removed. A Banned book has been removed so that no one has the opportunity to read it at that library no matter who, how old, or for what purpose. Many books are challenged, few are banned.

Missoula Public Library has adopted the Freedom to Read, putting forward that any person has the right to choose what he/she will read. We're not telling you or your family what you should read, just that no one else should make that decision for you.

All week our staff will offer 1-minute video reviews of titles that appear on the banned and challenged list. Plus we have a display of banned and challenged books in the library. So tune in and stop by all week long!

Big Wednesday at MPL!

Today was a busy day! Our brand new reference desk finally arrived and was plopped down in front of the old desk. Starting tomorrow, expect to hear very loud drilling, banging, etc. coming from the reference department. No word on when it will be finished, but hopefully soon.

As I type this, there is a presentation going on in the large meeting room about movies that were shot in Montana. This is part of our Know Montana series facilitated by our genealogist-extraordinaire Paulette. The next Know Montana date is October 8th, with more details here. History buffs, these programs are for you.

And also, we're right in the thick of banned books week. With a little help from some of our Young Adult patrons, we've put labels on banned books on our shelves to highlight the sheer number of books that have been banned or challenged. Here's a great article on banned books.

Ok, that's enough for one day. Tomorrow, I'll be heading to Olympia, WA to attend the WALE conference. I might even have an update from the road, who knows?

Banned Books!

Did you know that Missoula Public Library is full of (gasp) banned books?



Now that I've got your attention, I'd like to let you know that Banned Books Week is September 29th - October 6th. What is Banned Books Week, you may ask? It is a celebration of our democratic freedom to read whatever we choose, first observed by the American Library Association in 1982.

Some of the staff here at the Missoula Public Library are stout defenders of intellectual freedom. Karen, one of our children's librarians, is particularly well-known as a freedom fighter. She will be presenting a program on censorship (including recent attempts to ban books right here in Montana) on Monday, October 1st at 7:00pm in the large meeting room.

Now, perhaps you're asking yourself: "Why should I care about banned books? It doesn't have anything to do with me." Don't be so sure about that. I'm willing to bet that if you go to the ALA Banned Books website, you could find a book you enjoy that has been challenged or banned somewhere. Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself. Or come in and see the displays we've put up at the library. Or talk to Karen, she's always willing to chat about censorship.



Here's food for thought:
Did you know that the Harry Potter series is one of the most challenged series in recent times? Can you imagine if those books disappeared from our shelves forever?