Unshelved Celebrates Virtual Read-Out

Unshelved, a webcomic created by Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes, ran a series of comic strips this week to celebrate Banned Books Week’s Virtual Read-Out.

According to the website’s About page, Ambaum and Barnes began publishing Unshelved, which focuses on the staff of a community library, in 2002. The strips, which began running on Monday, August 27, feature the frank teen services “bad-boy” librarian Dewey. From an Unshelved website post by Barnes:

This week in Unshelved, Dewey is making the case for celebrating next month’s Banned Books Week with a Virtual Read-Out. Feel free to use this week’s strips to promote Banned Books Week in your school, library, or bookstore!

This year marks the 30th annual Banned Books Week and the second Virtual Read-Out, which challenges people to record video of themselves reading aloud from banned books and giving eyewitness accounts of local challenges.

You can view the strips on the Unshelved website here. Find out more about the Virtual Read-Out here.

Because of their visual nature, graphic novels are among the most challenged books in libraries around the nation. CBLDF is a sponsor of Banned Books Week, which takes place September 30 – October 6, 2012. Please help support CBLDF’s defense of your right to read by making a donation or becoming a member of the CBLDF!

Justin Brown is a journalism graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is currently enrolled in Point Park’s journalism and mass communications graduate program.