Worth Fighting For: Banned Books, Censorship, and the Freedom to Read

Research Education at University Libraries workshops equip researchers with the tools, concepts, and skills needed for every stage of the research lifecycle.

Book bans in the United States are on the rise, with PEN America reporting more than 10,000 book bans in public schools during the 2023-2024 school year. These bans have specifically targeted works that pro-censorship groups identify as "sexually explicit," many of which feature LGBTQ+ characters and themes, or which discuss themes of race and racism. In this workshop, we will discuss local and national trends in book banning, as well as ways to get involved in freedom to read initiatives.

This workshop is a part of the "Love on the Brain: Researching Romance in Popular Culture" programming for February's Scholarship as Conversation series.