By Marlene McTigue
Capital Region Independent Media
RAVENA—The week of Sept. 22-28 marked “Banned Books Week,” an annual event that underscores the importance of free and open access to information, and the RCS Community Library joined the national conversation in a special way.
In collaboration with the RCS High School English Department, the library has created a powerful display that features not just banned books, but personal reflections from community members about the significance of these challenged works.
The display, housed at the RCS Community Library, highlights favorite banned or challenged books chosen by library staff, board members and teachers from RCS High School. Alongside each book is a quote from the individual who selected it, explaining why the book holds special meaning for them.
Titles include literary classics and contemporary works that have faced opposition or removal from schools and libraries at various points in time.
Organizers wanted to not only showcase these books but also tell a story about why they resonate with our community. Jill Kobayashi, librarian at the RCS Community Library, explained that each book on display means something personal to the person who chose it, and their reflections are just as important as the books themselves.
Books like “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “1984,” “The Catcher in the Rye” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” are among the titles featured in the display, each of which has faced challenges for content that some have deemed controversial. Visitors to the library can read the personal reflections and learn more about why these books have been banned, while also considering their impact on readers in the RCS community.
The project is the result of a collaboration between the library and the RCS High School English Department. A complementary display has been set up in the RCS High School Library Media Center, reinforcing the shared commitment to intellectual freedom and the right to read.
Jill Kobayashi praised the partnership, thanking the RCS High School English Department and Library Media Center for working together on this community project.
Banned Books Week serves as a reminder that the fight for intellectual freedom is ongoing, and the displays at both the RCS Community Library and the high school aim to inspire discussion and reflection. Through this initiative, the RCS community is given the opportunity to engage with books that have sparked debate, challenged societal norms, and, in many cases, shaped readers’ lives, according to organizers.
The RCS Community Library invited all members of the community to visit the display and explore the books that have impacted their neighbors and educators. The display remained up through the end of Banned Books Week, but the message it sends about the importance of free expression and access to diverse perspectives is sure to resonate far beyond the week itself.
Banned Books Week isn’t just about the books that are on the list—it’s about what those books represent. Organizers hope this display sparks meaningful conversations about why certain books are challenged and why it’s so important to defend the right to read.
