(SALT LAKE CITY)– At the start of Banned Books Week, PEN Utah on Mon., Sept. 23 will host award-winning children’s book author, Rex Ogle, EveryLibrary Associate Director Peter Bromberg, and Utah Library Association Advocacy Co-Chair Rebekah Cummings for a discussion about censorship laws.
Since HB29 passed the Legislature and was signed into law, 13 books, including titles by Judy Blume, Margaret Atwood, and Craig Thompson, have been removed from Utah public schools, with hundreds more banned in school districts statewide.
PEN Utah will host “Who Decides What You Can Read?: Writers & Librarians Have Their Say” at the Davis County Library, Syracuse Branch, (1875 S. 2000 W., Syracuse), beginning at 6 PM. Doors open at 5:30 PM.
Moderated by Calvin Crosby, co-owner of Salt Lake City’s The King’s English Bookshop and executive director of Brain Food Books, the discussion will attempt to find a balance between parents’ concerns about mature content and access to diverse and thought-provoking literature.
A Q&A with the audience will follow. Register in advance for the event here.
PEN Utah Chapter Leader and author Paisley Rekdal said: “HB29 gives disproportionate power to the extreme views of isolated parent groups and religious advocates, allowing them to dictate what books all students in our state can access based on their beliefs. This kind of censorship limits students’ opportunities to engage with diverse viewpoints and complex depictions of real life. During this event, we—advocates of the First Amendment and defenders of the right to read—will offer a clear-eyed overview of the current threats to free expression and offer strategies to push back against them.”
More information on PEN America’s Banned Book Week programming along with full bios of the participants can be found on the Banned Books Week events webpage.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write and recognize the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, [email protected], 201-247-5057