Read For Your Rights: Banned Books Readout

Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights – is a stark reminder of the escalation in attempts to ban books in libraries, schools, and bookstores around the country.  George Orwell’s cautionary tale "1984" serves a prescient warning about the dangers of censorship. This year’s theme reminds us that the right to read belongs to all of us, that censorship has no place in contemporary society, and that we must defend our rights.  Local area actors, artists, poets, writers, and musicians will select and read passages from banned or challenged books that highlight our key democratic principles of free speech, intellectual freedom, freedom of expression, right to privacy, and the dangers of censorship in our communities.

 “The 2025 theme of Banned Books Week serves as a reminder that censorship efforts persist to this day,” ALA President Cindy Hohl said. “We must always come together to stand up for the right to read.”

The event will also provide a brief overview of the challenges related to intellectual freedom and the status of banned and challenged books in the country, New York, and the local community. 

Presented in partnership with the NYCLU, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and League of Women Voters.