The number of attempts to ban books is on the rise.
In 2023, The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship throughout the United States. That’s a 65% surge over 2022 numbers—as well as 1,247 demands to censor library books, materials, and resources. OIF also noted that most targeted books were by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ persons.
Established by the American Library Association (ALA) in 1982, Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community in shared support of the freedom to read. This annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information, and celebrates the freedom to seek and to express ideas. Banned Books Week will be held September 22-28, 2024, and the theme this year is “Freed to Read.”
In recognition of Banned Books Week, the University Libraries will host a film screening of:
The Handmaid’s Tale (1990)
Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 5:00 pm, Silverman Library, Room 310.
Introduction by Chad Lavin, Associate Professor, UB Department of English.
Open to all members of the UB community.
Refreshments will be served.
The Handmaid’s Tale, Harold Pinter’s 1990 adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel about a servant in a futuristic, male-dominated society, features Natasha Richardson, Robert Duvall, Faye Dunaway, Aidan Quinn, Elizabeth McGovern, and Victoria Tennant.
Registration is encouraged, but not required.