"Banned" Books Readings Sept. 27-Oct. 1 Will Honor Freedom of Expression
For release: September 23, 2004
For press information, contact Gabrielle Maxey

In observance of Banned Books Week, the University of Memphis' Ned R. McWherter Library will feature 10 public sessions at which guests 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 12:30 p.m. daily from Monday, Sept. 27, through Friday, Oct. 1. Each reading and the question-and-answer session immediately following will last about 40 minutes.

The readings will come from books that were controversial at some time in American history. Some of the titles include J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, Alice Walker's The Color Purple, and R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series.

The University's participation in the nationwide project will help call attention to the importance of the rights of free speech and free expression. The event is organized by the American Library Association.

The McWherter Library is located on the eastern side of the U of M campus.

For more information, contact Tom Mendina at 678-4310 or online at tmendina@memphis.edu

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