Banned Books Week is probably one of my favorite times of the year!  Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read.  The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restrictions in libraries and schools.  Banned Books Week highlights the value of free and open access to information.

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982 according to the American Library Association.  

In honor of Banned Books Week, I've set up a display highlighting banned/challenged books students can checkout, a banned books contest, and working with 8th grade on a banned books poster assignment to in preparation for them reading The Hunger Games.  Our morning news crew is highlighting a banned/challenged book each morning on the news as well.

Today was a great start to our Banned Books Week! Many of our banned/challenged books have been checked out, and so many conversations have been had on our freedom to read.  

I was honored to be asked to present to CSRA RESA about the changes I've made in the ADUB Media Center since I was blessed to moved into the position as a media specialist here.  This afternoon, I was able to speak with other media specialists who are looking for change to help their students.  It was a great experience being able to connect with others who are as passionate as I am about advocating for best practices in the library!

The reading of Body in the Woods has begun! Our book book club participants come in every Thursday for lunch.  Last Thursday, we received our books.  Before we began reading the novel, I asked students about the cover and what we thought the book may be about; Then I read the blurb for the book.  Boy, were they hooked!  Most of us agreed, though, that the cover looks different than the stereotypical murder mystery cover, which is misleading for some. So far I have only heard great things from the writing itself, and we all have a different idea as to who the killer may be.  For those of you reading, who do you think it is?  Which character do you identify with more?  Ruby and Alexis both have interesting, personable qualities with which I identify.  

In preparation for our Skype visit, please use this form to keep track of any questions you may have about the book, April Henry, or her writing process:

Constitution Day is one of my favorite days of the year. Strange, but true. It is not only the day that our Constitution was signed, a day that we as a nation became "WE the people," but a it is a day that symbolizes our freedom as Americans.  We are allowed so many freedoms just because of this living document.  So, in honor of this historic day, our students were asked to stop by the library to discuss what being a citizen of the United States means to them and what freedom means to them.  We have some wonderful discussion going on today from the recent GOP Debate, the Confederate Flag debacle, the marriage equality issues, and so on...Our 8th grade gifted class attempted to make a Vine with the answers, but we couldn't narrow the video down to six seconds.  Maybe next time!