Banned Books Week is October 1-7, but the UMKC Libraries are featuring banned books throughout October in the first floor book display, and for this year’s scavenger hunt. Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. For more than 40 years, the annual event has brought together the entire book community — librarians, teachers, booksellers, publishers, writers, journalists, 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 books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.
Throughout October, the UMKC Libraries is hosting a scavenger hunt. Throughout the Library, there are flyers featuring 15 unique banned books. On each flyer, there are tear-away tabs. Collect all 15 tabs (or take a picture of each of the 15 flyers), and bring that to the Administrative Offices 212 in the Miller Nichols Library, Monday-Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm to claim your prize: a copy of a banned book! If you’re interested in which titles are in our collection, stop by the 1st floor book display, scan the QR code, and choose a title! The scavenger hunt will continue throughout the month of October, or until we run out of book prizes. Fight oppression and censorship, and always Let Freedom Read!
