“Freedom to Read” is a fundamental American right: your right to choose the ideas, information, and cultural experiences that are right for you and your family. That right is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. And your public library supports that right by providing free and open access to all. Book bans infringe on that right. When people demand that libraries remove books, they deny you and others the right to choose. The American Library Association (ALA) reports more book challenges in 2022 than any previous year. This Banned Books Week webinar, moderated by syndicated columnist Heidi Stevens, will share how to effectively support intellectual freedom. We will examine the current state of book challenges, Illinois’ legislative response, and the implications of censorship on communities with this panel of experts:

Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian

Monica Harris, Executive Director, Reaching Across Illinois Library System

Jasmine Warga, author of challenged books; The Shape of Thunder and Other Words for Home

Jarrett Dapier, author of Jazz for Lunch and freedom to read advocate

This presentation is co-hosted by multiple Illinois libraries.

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