Freedom to Read Week, opens a new window (February 19-25, 2023) is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Intellectual freedom is one of the fundamental values of libraries in Canada. From the Canadian Federation of Library Association's Statement on Intellectual Freedom and Libraries:
Libraries have a core responsibility to safeguard and facilitate access to constitutionally protected expressions of knowledge, imagination, ideas, and opinion, including those which some individuals and groups consider unconventional, unpopular or unacceptable. To this end, in accordance with their mandates and professional values and standards, libraries provide, defend and promote equitable access to the widest possible variety of expressive content and resist calls for censorship and the adoption of systems that deny or restrict access to resources.
During Freedom to Read Week, we encourage you to celebrate YOUR freedom to read by checking out one of these titles that have been banned or challenged at some point in the past. All of the titles in the two lists below are available to borrow at RDPL.
More resources:
- Understanding Challenges to Books and Magazines
- 35 Challenged Publications in Canada
- Bannings & Burnings in History
- Challenged Works List
For more information about Freedom to Read Week, visit freedomtoread.ca
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