Today, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is proud to release its first-ever Banned Books Week Handbook! Boasting a cover by Jeff Smith, whose Bone series is one of America’s most frequently challenged books, the CBLDF Banned Books Week Handbook is a free resource that gives you the scoop about what comics are banned, how to report and fight censorship, and how to make a celebration of Banned Books Week in your community! The CBLDF Banned Books Week Handbook premieres today at the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas.
This year’s Banned Books Week, which runs September 21 – 27, will have a national focus on comics and graphic novels. CBLDF’s Banned Books Week Handbook is an essential tool to assist librarians, retailers, and educators in planning their Banned Books Week celebrations, while also being a vital reference to help readers everywhere fight censorship. The handbook is currently available as a free download on CBLDF.org. Bundles of the printed handbook are also available from CBLDF.org, and in the July issue of Diamond Previews (JUL141050).
In addition to the Banned Books Week Handbook, CBLDF is also releasing the first installments of our new series of CBLDF Discussion Guides, which provide guided questions and activities centered around challenged graphic novels. CBLDF.org also offers a broad range of resources about banned and challenged comics, as well as tools that libraries, educators, retailers, and individuals can use to develop their own Banned Books Week celebrations. For an introduction to banned books and Banned Books Week, visit CBLDF’s FAQ: Banned Books Week 101.
Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Library Association, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Freedom to Read Foundation, National Association of College Stores, National Coalition Against Censorship, National Council of Teachers of English, PEN American Center, and Project Censored.
About Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers. CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance, and education in furtherance of these goals. https://www.cbldf.org.