February 23 – March 1 2014 is Freedom to Read Week, “an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”

The British Columbia Library Association/Canadian Library Association (BCLA/CLA) Student Chapter, in collaboration with the American Library Association (ALA) Student Chapter, would like to promote and support this event!

Join us on Tuesday February 25th 2014 from 10:00am-3:30pm in the Lillooet Room (within the Chapman Learning Commons in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre)!

We will be hosting a live read-a-thon of banned or challenged books & material, in which anyone can sign up for 10-minute blocks to read out-loud to whoever is present. Participants can bring a reading of their choice, or may even read their own written material. If you don’t have an item of your own to read don’t worry – we are having a display of banned books on-hand from which participants can read!

• Not sure what’s been challenged? Check out this list!

As part of this event, we’ll take a break for lunch, and host a roundtable discussion panel regarding their experience with censorship & intellectual freedom.  Our speakers will include:

• Susin Nielsen: Author of “Word Nerd”
• Kathryn Shoemaker: UBC Professor & Illustrator of “A Telling Time”
• Judi Saltman: UBC iSchool Professor

Schedule for the day:

• 10:00am-12:00pm: Read-a-thon (and information table in IKBLC foyer)
• 12:00pm-1:30pm: Writer panel & mingling
• 1:30pm-3:30pm: Read-a-thon

What’s more, Koerner Library will be participating in Freedom to Read Week with displays on their third floor and information posters in the library. They’ll be at this event with freedom-to-read themed games with the chance to win a prize! We will also have a table out in the foyer of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKBLC) from 10:00am-12:00pm, in order to raise student awareness.

Light refreshments will be provided throughout the day.