Let Freedom Read!
October 1, 2025
The freedom to read is under attack, and we can all work together to do something about it!
Banned Books Week takes place between October 5 and October 11 in 2025, and the American Library Association and the Banned Books Week Coalition have announced this year’s theme: “Censorship is So 1984. Read for Your Rights.” This year’s theme reflects the current widespread efforts to ban books and information held in libraries, archives, schools, and bookstores and how these bans are inching closer to dystopian scenes that can often be found in fiction, like George Orwell’s cautionary and prescient novel 1984. We want to remind you that the right to read belongs to everyone, that censorship has no place in contemporary world, and that we must defend our right to read freely.
The ALA recently released the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2024, and the majority of censorship attempts come from organized movements, pressure groups, and government entities. It is more important now than ever to defend your right to read and take action to make sure you and your community have access to all the resources you need. When free access to information is restricted, it sets a dangerous precedent and limits our ability to think critically, make decisions, and understand the world around us.
At the Lackawanna County Library System, we encourage you to celebrate Banned Books Week, and especially Let Freedom Read Day on Saturday, October 11. Take action to help defend books from censorship, and stand up for the library staff, educators, writers, publishers, and booksellers who make these vital resources available. Whether you have just 5 minutes to give or an entire afternoon, you can call a local lawmaker or board member, support an advocacy group, check out a banned book from the Library, write a letter to your representatives in congress, or even volunteer at your Library.
We are here to meet your needs, and we can only do that when we are free to fill our collections with a variety of voices, ideas, and opinions. Thank you for your continued support of our Libraries.
