ECU’s Joyner Library to mark Banned Books Week
East Carolina University’s Joyner Library and Department of English will mark Banned Books Week on Thursday with a Read Out and program.
Banned Books Week is an annual event held the last week in September that celebrates Americans’ freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment.
The Read Out will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Sonic Plaza outside of the library. ECU students and faculty are invited to read excerpts from banned or challenged books. Readers are invited to bring their own books; organizers will also have books available. A program about book burning and banning will follow at 5:30 p.m. in Joyner Library room 2409. Both events are free and open to the public.
“Joyner Library is proud to be the host and co-sponsor of ECU’s Banned Books Reading Event,” said Jan Lewis, interim dean of Academic Library Services. “Co-sponsored by the American Library Association, Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider threatening or unorthodox. Many of my favorite books are on the ALA’s list of banned and challenged books, making it hard to choose just one to read from on Thursday. Come to the Reading Event – you may be surprised by what you hear.
Banned Books Week is also sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
“Sigma Tau Delta, the English Club, and the English Department feel honored to help host the discussion of banned books,” said Dr. Corinee Guy, professor of English. “We hope the audience will participate during the program, and afterwards continue to question our rights and responsibilities in a free society.”
Organizer of the Read Out Margaret Earley-Thiele added, “We are excited to hold a Read Out, one of several awareness and learning events scheduled during the week.”
For more information, contact Dawn Wainwright at 252.328.4090 or wainwrightd@ecu.edu.
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