Banned Books Week 2016: Sept. 25 - Oct. 1

(courtesy of the American Library Association, Office of Intellectual Freedom)

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted by librarians and teachers across the country.

Find out which challenged books made the 2015 list, which was released as part of the 2016 State of America’s Library Report.



A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. As such, they are a threat to freedom of speech and choice.

The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read.

OIF also offers support for librarians facing challenges to materials in their library. The support librarians seek will not be disclosed to any outside parties, and the challenge report OIF receives is kept confidential. Please see Challenges to Library Materials for resources and information to help you prepare for and respond to challenges.

If you would like more information about banned and challenged books, contact the Office for Intellectual Freedom at (800) 545-2433, ext. 4220, or oif@ala.org. For more information on how to get involved with Banned Books Week, email bbw@ala.org.

For media inquiries related to Banned Books Week, please contact: Heather Cho, Media Relations Specialist, 312-280-4020, hcho@ala.org; and Macey Morales, Deputy Director of ALA's Public Awareness Office, 312-280-4393, mmorales@ala.org.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World at the Central Library

“Wazir Khan Mosque in Reflection,”painting by Samina Quraeshi–Courtesy of Samina Quraeshi

Please join us this fall from September 8 through November when the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System’s Central Library will take visitors on a voyage of discovery to explore the rich tapestry of Muslim poetry through Poetic Voices of the Muslim World, a travelling exhibit accompanied by poetry readings and musical performances.  

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System has partnered with the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta to provide complementary programming each Tuesday at noon, and some Saturdays at noon on topics such as Islamic art, architecture and calligraphy, music, film making, and children’s story time. Four special programs occur on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. between October 27 and November 17.

The first floor of the Central Library will have a display of lushly-illustrated, vibrant panels featuring photography and calligraphic masterworks, as well as the work of poets ranging from traditional to contemporary and across the globe. Poetic traditions from four major language areas — Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Urdu —introduce poetry from Asia, Africa and diaspora communities in Europe and the United States. 

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World is presented by Poets House and City Lore, in partnership with the American Library Association and the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System. Funded by the Bridging Cultures Program of the National Endowment for the Humanities:  Exploring the Human Endeavor. Additional support was provided by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art. Local programming and support developed and provided by the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta.

All programs are free and open to the public. See below for a full list of programs related to Poetic Voices and, for more information visit our website or call 404-730-1896. All programs listed below will be held at the Central Library, One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta 30303.

Programming Information:

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Islamic Art

Tuesday, September 8. 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Dr. Sandra Bird, Professor of Art Education at Kennesaw State University, presents an introduction to Islamic Art.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Islamic Art

Tuesday, September 22. 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Multimedia artist Kelly Izdihar Crosby delves into the varied artistic styles of the Islamic world.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Children’s Story Time

Saturday, September 26. 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Join us as Jelena presents stories from across the Muslim world.

Central Library, a part of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta 30303
For information call 404.730.1896

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: The Power of Moving Images

Tuesday, September 29. 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Join us as Ameer Muhammad presents a program on film, film making and shooting with different types of cameras.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Islamic Architecture

Saturday, October 3. 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Join us as Amin Tomeh presents a program on the beautiful architecture of the Islamic world.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Rap with Ameer

Tuesday, October 6. 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Join us as Ameer Muhammad discusses rap lyrics and the history of Muslim influence on rap.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Arabic Language and Calligraphy

Saturday, October 20. 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Come and learn about this beautiful language and art and get your name written in Arabic.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Children’s Story Time

Saturday, October 24. 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Join us as Jelena returns with more stories from across the Muslim world.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Islamic Painting and Calligraphy

Tuesday, October 27. 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Multimedia artist Kelly Izdihar Crosby demonstrates the beautiful arts of painting and calligraphy.

Central Library, a part of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System

One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta 30303
For information call 404.730.1896

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Worlds of the Ghazal

Tuesday, October 27. 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Dr. Syed Akbar Hyder presents a discussion and readings of Ghazal. Then singer Kiran Ahluwalia and accompanist Rez Abbasi performs a contemporary styling of this timeless poetic form.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: The Traveling Word: A West African Epic

Tuesday, November 3. 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Poet and storyteller Kewulay Kamara and West African Jali musicians tell the story of preserving an ancient oral epic after Sierra Leone's Civil War.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Islam and the Blues

Tuesday, November 10. 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Dr. Sylviane A. Diouf of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library, presents a discussion of the Islamic origins of the Blues.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Poetry Reading and Discussion

Tuesday November 17. 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Poet and author Kazim Ali presents readings of his poems, a view from the vantage point of a Muslim and an American.

Poetic Voices of the Muslim World: Children’s Story Time

Saturday, November 21. 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Join us as Jelena returns with more stories from across the Muslim World.