Each year, during Banned Books Week , American citizens and American libraries celebrate the Freedom to Read and the Library Bill of Rights . In 2001 Banned Books Week will be celebrated from September 22 - September 29. This week will be the 20th anniversity of Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week is a time to celebrate literature and examine the roots of intolerance and ignorance that fuel efforts to censor the arts and free expression.
Book censorship is neither infrequent nor an issue of the past.
Books with clear artistic and cultural merit are still challenged frequently by those who want to control what others read. The battle against those who would remove materials from libraries, schools, and bookstores continues. Through the participation of thousands of bookstores and libraries across the country during Banned Books Week, millions of Americans learn about the critical importance of free expression and of the perilous threats to First Amendment rights that exist in our country today. Banned Books Week draws attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society.