Marking National Library Week, a panel discussion on recent book banning policies will be held on Tuesday, April 25, sponsored in part by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
“Resisting Censorship: The Rise of Banned Books and the Importance of Protecting the Freedom to Read and Learn” will be held at 6:15 p.m. at the Portage County Public Library Pineries Room, 1002 Main St., Stevens Point. It is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
Several experts will talk about the impact of book challenges on students’ education, teachers, librarians and communities. The panel includes:
- Rebecca Stephens, chair and professor, UW-Stevens Point English Department
- John Blakeman, professor, UWSP Political Science Department
- Mindy King, director of UWSP Libraries
- Nicole Ozanich, assistant director and youth services librarian, Portage County Public Library
- Katelyn Sabelko, library services manager, Marathon County Public Library
Recent policies and legislation across the United States have made the reading and teaching of banned books more difficult for classrooms and libraries. In 2021, the American Library Association reported 729 attempts to censor library resources, targeting 1,597 books, the highest amount of attempted book bans in more than 20 years.
UW-Stevens Point’s School of Humanities and Global Studies, in collaboration with UWSP Libraries, is highlighting banned books this year with an educational display, reading challenge contest for students and this panel discussion. Other sponsors include the Portage County and Marathon County public libraries.