Freedom to Read Week is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom. Though it is not always at the forefront of Canadians' minds, Canada has a history of censorship of books and magazines. Oftentimes, and by design, this censorship has affected libraries and classrooms as books are removed from collections or syllabi, often without any fanfare. Freedom to Read Week, founded in 1984, brings awareness to the ongoing challenges to writing and reading in Canada. It also encourages people to defend their right to read, write, and publish freely.
Here at Coquitlam Public Library, we strive to uphold intellectual freedom as not only a right of libraries, but an obligation. As a small token towards this idea, we've compiled two lists of books that have been challenged or banned at some point in time and place across North America. Take a moment to browse them, and borrow a title to show your commitment to our freedom to read.
You can also learn more about Freedom to Read week here.