Book Readings Sept. 22-26 at the U of M Will Honor Freedom of Expression
For release: September 12, 2003
For press information, contact Gabrielle Maxey

In observance of Banned Books Week, the Ned R. McWherter Library at the University of Memphis will feature 10 sessions at which deans, faculty, staff and students will read from books that have been challenged by people opposed to their content or that have been banned from public access in the United States.

Readings will be held in the McWherter Library rotunda at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. daily from Monday, Sept. 22, through Friday, Sept. 26. Each reading, together with its question-and-answer session immediately following, will last from 30 to 45 minutes. The readings will come from books that were controversial at some point during American history. Some of the titles include J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War, Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, E.S. Hinton's Taming the Star Runner, Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants, and Mildred D. Taylor's Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

U of M President Shirley Raines will read from Maurice Sendak's In the Night Kitchen.

The University's participation in the nationwide project will help call attention to the importance of the rights of free speech and free expression. In addition to the series of readings, the McWherter Library will also display exhibits on these freedoms.

The McWherter Library is located on the eastern side of the U of M campus. Parking is available at the Fogelman Executive Center parking garage.

For details, contact Tom Mendina at 678-4310 or tmendina@memphis.edu.

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