Taking place Oct. 5-11, Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community in shared support of the freedom to read. This year’s theme, “Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights,” draws on Orwell’s dystopian warning to highlight the growing wave of censorship attempts across the U.S., particularly those driven by organized political and governmental efforts. Recent data shows that 72% of book challenges in 2024 stemmed from these coordinated campaigns.
Since its launch in 1982, Banned Books Week has championed the right to read, offering resources and materials to help libraries, schools, and communities push back against censorship. At the William H. Hannon Library, we are celebrating our right to read by hosting three events during 2025 Banned Book Week. Learn more below!
An Evening with L.A. Poet Laureate Lynne Thompson
When: Oct. 6 at 6 p.m.
Where: Library Level 3 (VDA Suite) – RSVP here
Lynne Thompson served as Los Angeles’ 4th Poet Laureate (2021-2022) and received a Poet Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets. She is the author of four collections of poetry, “Beg No Pardon,” winner of the Perugia Press Prize and the Great Lakes Colleges New Writers Award; “Start With A Small Guitar; Fretwork,” winner of the 2019 Marsh Hawk Poetry Prize; and, “Blue on a Blue Palette,” published by BOA Editions in April 2024. A Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, Thompson is the recipient of multiple awards including the George Drury Smith Award for Outstanding Achievement in Poetry, an Individual Artist Fellowship from the City of Los Angeles, the Tucson Literary Festival Poetry Prize, and the Steven Dunn Poetry Prize. She represented the City at the Marathon Poetiqúe at the 23rd Olympiad in Paris in 2024.
Wellness Wednesday: Banned Books Week Merch
When: Oct. 8 at 11 a.m.
Where: Wellness Wednesday (Alumni Mall)
Stop by to get exclusive Banned Books Week bookmarks and stickers! While supplies last.
Movie Night: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
When: Oct. 9 at 6 p.m.
Where: Library Level 3 (VDA Suite) – RSVP here
In honor of Banned Books Week, join us for a free showing of the film, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” We’ll provide light snacks! The book is a coming of age novel about Charlie, a freshman in high school who is a wallflower, shy and introspective, and very intelligent. He deals with the usual teen problems, but also with the suicide of his best friend. It has been frequently challenged due to claims that it is sexually explicit, contains LGBTQIA+ content, and includes rape, drugs, and profanity.