In October 2023, following the American Library Association’s announcement that censorship attempts at libraries were on pace to set a record for the third year in a row, the University of Chicago Library joined forces with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) to expand access to banned books. This initiative acts on the University’s understanding that learning and creating knowledge require the freedom to explore and to discuss and share views and ideas.
The DPLA launched The Banned Book Club in July 2023 to ensure that every reader in communities where books have been banned can access eBook versions of banned titles for free via the Palace app.
In the UK we have watched with astonishment and dismay the growing movement across the US to ban books. The American Library Association ntoes that ‘pressure groups in 2023 focused on public libraries in addition to targeting school libraries. The number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92% over the previous year, accounting for about 46% of all book challenges in 2023; school libraries saw an 11% increase over 2022 numbers.’ The American Library Association report makes the point that ‘Books written by or about people of color or members of the LGBTQIA+ community made up the vast majority of such challenges.’
Although the banning of books is not currently happening in the UK, We chose ‘Fahrenheit 2024’ for our festival theme, based on the title of Raymond Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, where firemen in a near future society start fires and burn books, to highlight growing moves in the UK towards censorship and a curtailing of rights. We feel this makes Bradbury’s novel even more relevant and precipitous today than it did when it was first published in the 1950s.
The climate in America often foreshadows that of the UK. This event will act as both a timely warning, and a celebration of those communities, spearheaded by campaigns like that of the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Library, who have chosen to draw awareness to the situation by increasing support for research and inquiry on the topic of censorship and book banning, and to increase access to the books being denied to citizens across our country.
Dr. Torsten Reimer is University Librarian and Dean of the University Library at the University of Chicago. With a background in digital scholarship and research infrastructures, Torsten’s career is focused on making the global knowledge environment more open. Before joining the University of Chicago, he served on the British Library’s leadership team overseeing collection development, digital collection management, and research services. In previous roles, he developed open access and research data services at Imperial College London and the research infrastructure program at Jisc (the UK’s digital service provider for higher education). Torsten’s academic background is in history and digital humanities, having worked at King’s College London and the University of Munich (LMU). He holds a PhD in history from LMU and is a Fellow of the UK’s Software Sustainability Institute. His current external professional activities include roles as Chair of the Ivy Plus Libraries Confederation and the Open Repositories Conference as well as board and steering group memberships with organisations like the Big Ten Academic Alliance, COAR, DataCite, and SPARC.
Laura Sill is Head of Acquisitions at the University of Chicago Library. Laura has held operational and administrative roles in technical services and library systems over the course of her library career. She is currently leading the Banned Books Working Group at the Regenstein Library. Prior to joining the University of Chicago, Laura was a library faculty member at the Hesburgh Library of the University of Notre Dame. She holds a Masters of Library and Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The University of Chicago Library is committed to building a Banned Books Collection, cultivating partnerships to bring awareness to this issue, and offering support through community engagement and events. It is a goal of the Initiative to advance research, inquiry, and debate around this issue by creating and stewarding a historical record, providing resources for research, and expanding access to titles that are banned elsewhere.
The University of Chicago Library has partnered with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) to expand The Banned Book Club and provides access to more than 900 unique titles that have been the target of bans in communities nationwide. ‘In the digital era, it should no longer be possible to ban books, and we are thrilled to have the University of Chicago Library join us to advance this work,’ said John S. Bracken, executive director of the Digital Public Library of America. ‘Overwhelmingly, these efforts to ban books are at their base efforts to remove Black, Brown, and Queer voices and experiences from our shelves. It is our goal to work together so that these stories remain available, for free, to anyone who wants to read them.’
“UChicago Library expands access to banned books amid national debate over censorship” – https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/about/news/uchicago-library-expands-access-to-banned-books-amid-national-debate-over-censorship/
Online
Monday 13th May, 7:00pm
£3
*These are difficult times. We know some people may struggle to afford full price tickets. If you would like to attend this event but can’t afford to, please contact info@writingonthewall.org.uk. All queries will be treated in confidence.
If you would like to purchase a gifted ticket for someone who can’t afford it, please buy directly from the event page and we will offer your ticket out.
Date: May 13, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm
Black Music Exhibitions Collection Available to View Throughout October as part of Liverpool’s Black History Month Celebrations - Monday to Wednesday and Saturdays
Find Out More
WoW have been invited to deliver The National Archives impact seminar and to present WoW’s unique Creative Heritage model and approach to curating archives.
Date: October 3, 2024
1:00 pm
Find Out More
The Great War to Race Riots tour, delivered since our first Black History Month festival in 2016, explores anti-black race riots that occurred in Liverpool and other seaports across the country in 1919.
Date: October 6, 2024
11:00 am
Find Out More
The Dorothy Kuya Walking Tour explores the impact of Dorothy Kuya's anti-racist activism in modern Britain as we explore the Liverpool and the L8 area.
Date: October 13, 2024
11:00 am
Find Out More
Join us in Black History Month for a powerful event featuring a documentary by local filmmaker Bea Freeman, exploring the causes and aftermath of the 1981 Toxteth Riots.
Date: October 16, 2024
7:00 pm
Find Out More
Your Local Arena special screens Rudies Come Back, the energetic 1980 BBC Arena film made by Jeff Perks right at the moment that 2-Tone was emerging, capturing its unique blend of 1960s blue beat and ska with 1970s reggae, soul and punk.
Date: October 17, 2024
7:30 pm
Find Out More
The L8 Activism Walking Tour invites you to take a stroll down the beautiful tree-lined Victorian Boulevard and explore the history of Liverpool 8, the traditional home of the black community since the mid 20th century.
Date: October 19, 2024
11:00 am
Find Out More
The George Garrett Walking Tour explores the life, writings and activism of George Garrett a 'militant advocate of tolerance' who travelled the world and whose work explored the poverty and struggle of the working class in the 1920's and 1930's.
Date: October 20, 2024
11:00 am
Find Out More
We're thrilled to welcome Diane Abbott and Gary Younge to BHM 24 to discuss Diane's new book: A Woman Like Me
Date: October 23, 2024
7:00 pm
Find Out More
In Babylon’s Burning author and activist Rick Blackman explores impact and connections between three musical movements
Date: October 24, 2024
7:00 pm
Find Out More
Join us in remembering and celebrating the impact and legacy of sound system culture in Liverpool, with an evening of discussion, deejays and dancing. Featuring music from the original Strugglers' Sound System, from the days of The Frontline.
Date: October 26, 2024
6:30 pm
Find Out More
The Liverpool & Slavery Walking Tour was developed and inspired by our Dorothy Kuya Archive Project, in collaboration with National Museums Liverpool. The Tour explores the many sites with direct links to the Transatlantic Slave Trade in Liverpool city centre
Date: October 27, 2024
11:00 am
Find Out More
Join us for the fourth session of the Writer’s Bloc 2024! IMPORTANT: Please do not turn up to a Writer’s Bloc session without registering and being invited. Numbers are limited and session attendance is by invite only. We are unable to allow entry if you have not been accepted onto the session.
Date: September 6, 2024
11:00 am
Find Out More
Join us for the fourth session of the Writer’s Bloc 2024! IMPORTANT: Please do not turn up to a Writer’s Bloc session without registering and being invited. Numbers are limited and session attendance is by invite only. We are unable to allow entry if you have not been accepted onto the session.
Date: August 16, 2024
11:00 am
Find Out More
Join us for the second session of the Writer’s Bloc 2024! We are thrilled to welcome acclaimed Liverpool novelist and poet, Ashleigh Nugent. Ashleigh will be talking about his debut novel, Locks and sharing his journey of turning personal experiences into compelling stories. The session will take place on Friday 14th June at Toxteth Library. Please sign …
Date: June 14, 2024
Find Out More
Date: May 13, 2024
11:00 am
Find Out More
Tony Wailey's latest book, Lights Bearing West, is about memory, place and distance, messages sent, delivered, picked up, put down, kept or discarded. Going away, having adventures and coming home, whether these adventures are first hand or tenth hand, is part of everyone’s trilogy in Liverpool – even for those who have never left the river.
Date: May 22, 2024
7:00 pm
Find Out More
Date: May 23, 2024
7:00 pm
Find Out More
