Little Free Library is always excited to celebrate Banned Books Week, as it presents a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness about censorship and celebrate the freedom to access diverse books. To commemorate this important week, we asked three stewards across the United States to participate by doing an action item around banned books in Little Free Libraries during Banned Books Week! Read on to see what they did.
Callie Brimberry — Wonder Lake, IL
Event Date: September 7, 2024
Callie set up a booth by her Little Free Library as the home base for her event . They promoted the event through her neighborhood Facebook page, and used a large banner hung on their garage door to draw in those passing by. The main activities were handing out popsicles, a craft table for kids, and a table of free banned books for kids and adults. They also had a drawing for four banned books baskets, which contained a selection of adult and kids’ banned books, a gift card to the local bookstore, and some local bakery book-themed treats! Callie estimates that 100 community members attended the event.
For stewards looking to do an event like this in their community, Callie’s advice is this: “Reach out to local businesses and your community prior to the event. We had an even larger turnout than I expected because people were constantly interacting on our post about banned books.”
Callie states that it’s important to share banned books in their community because, “with the amount of books threatened to be banned or actually being banned, it is important to open up dialogue with adults and children about banned text and how most are surrounded with fear, misunderstanding, misrepresentation, or a lack of reading the actual text.”
Jai Hogue — Salt Lake City, UT
Event Date: September 13, 2024
Jai, steward of Fitts Park Little Free Library, hosted a Banned Books Week Bash! They hosted the event at the Fitts Park Spring Creek Pavilion at Fitts Park in South Salt Lake City, where their library is located. Jai promoted the event through multiple flyers displayed around the community with different designs targeting different age groups — children, teens, and adults — as well as email outreach to stewards in the area and social media posts.
They created posters outlining banned books which attendees could read and discuss the impact of book bans. They also decorated pavers with the covers of banned books to place around the base of their Little Free Library and revealed those during the event. Attendees spent the event time making banned book gem art, painting rocks, and discussing the importance of sharing banned books in their community! Jai also provided copies of banned books to attendees with customized bookmarks describing why that particular book had been banned.
For those looking to hold similar events, Jai recommends reaching out to volunteers to ensure you have the support needed for event set up and advertising! Jai estimates 25 people attended this event. They are distributing any books leftover from the event to Little Free Libraries around Salt Lake City!
Global Shapers Community Orlando – Orlando, FL
Event Date: September 13, 2024
Global Shapers Community Orlando, led by project lead Cecilia, hosted a Books & Brews event for Banned Books Week! Global Shapers Community Orlando hosted the event at 1881 Restaurant and Bar in Kissimmee, FL. They promoted the event through flyers and email outreach to stewards in the area and utilized the Eventbrite software to manage event sign up.
The event featured local author readings, local vendor booths, raffles, and books and beer giveaways! The first 100 people to attend received a free banned book, and the first 50 people to donate fiction books to Little Free Library book-sharing boxes received a free beer.
“Our Books & Brews event was a book fair that celebrated Banned Books Week,” Cecilia said. “We partnered with local indie bookstores, vendors, and 23 authors (all BIPOC, LGBTQ+, or women). Attendees who donated books received a free beer, and we offered raffle prizes throughout the day. The event lasted about 4 hours and took place in four-time slots, all of which sold out in advance. We promoted it heavily through social media, word of mouth, and with your help, the Little Free Library network.”
Cecilia estimates that 150 people attended the event!
For stewards looking to do an event like this in their community, Cecilia’s advice is this: “I’d advise fellow stewards to reach out to local businesses and authors early to form partnerships. Collaboration is key! Also, creating a fun and interactive experience, like offering a free drink for a book donation, really helps with engagement.”
Cecilia states that it’s important to share banned books in their community because it’s essential for fostering intellectual freedom, especially in communities like ours that have been impacted by increasing censorship. “These books offer diverse perspectives and ensure that everyone has the chance to access stories that reflect their experiences,” Cecilia says. “It’s a vital way to resist censorship and advocate for freedom of expression.”
How do you think you can recreate something like this in your community? As you can see, an engaging event around banned books can take a variety of forms — from crafts in the park to author readings! Use this blog post for future inspiration to host an event at your Little Free Library and celebrate books with your community.