In support of creating access to “banned books,” the Ames Library will be hosting events relating to Banned Books week. 

October 1-7 is Banned Books week in the U.S., which brings awareness to the practice of schools banning books nationwide for reasons such as political affiliation and diverse rhetoric. 

In order to bring attention to the rise in book banning, the Ames Library is creating a “Check Out Banned Books” exhibit about the most common banned books in the 2022-2023 academic year and banned books from the prior decade. These exhibits are possible due to the work of previous Digital Humanities Fellowship students. 

The library encourages students to check out banned books, send Abby Mann, the Digital Scholarship Librarian, a quote from a favorite banned book, and browse through the Banned Book infographics created by the library. 

Banned books typically target literature regarding diverse audiences and opinions, overwhelmingly banning books by LGBTQ+ and BIPOC authors. The Ames Library encourages students to request banned books, as the library has a student Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) fund. 

For more information, contact Abby Mann at [email protected].