Book lovers may be surprised to find their favorite books are banned.
The George A. Smathers Libraries will celebrate these books during national Banned Books Week on Thursday on the Plaza of the Americas.
Banned Books Week is a celebration of the freedom to read and the open access of information. This is the second time the Smathers Libraries will host the event on the plaza lawn, Library West circulation services coordinator Michele Lesure said.
Lesure said about 30 people participated in the event last year and she expects twice as many to attend the reading event.
At the event, Patrick Reakes, the associate dean of scholarly resources and services, will read a proclamation of the Smathers Libraries participation in Banned Books Week. Dean of university libraries Judith Russell will start off the event by reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. Students, faculty and staff are invited to read segments from their favorite banned books.
The event will take place from noon to 1 p.m., and free pizza and soda will be provided.
Every year, hundreds of books are challenged to be banned by any “concerned citizen,” Lesure said.
“I believe that all books should be easily accessible,” Lesure said. “We need to grow attention and bring awareness to the fact that there are precious documents that should be open to all readers.”
Lesure said it is not fair for a book to be banned from everyone when it should be the parents’ job to censor what their children should and should not be reading.
Brooke Alexander, a 19-year-old biology sophomore, said she appreciates that UF is hosting this event.
“Books are a source of freedom,” Alexander said. “They are a use of expression and should be obtainable on a campus where students are learning.”
Jaime Bell, a 20-year-old health science junior, said she loved reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” in high school. But Bell was shocked to find out that books like “To Kill a Mockingbird” are challenged and banned each year.
“People should be afforded different opinions, and we should be able to read whatever we want,” Bell said.
More information can be found at the UF Smathers Library website.
[A version of this story ran on page 9 on 9/23/2014 under the headline "Libraries to honor banned books week"]
