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The above map was drawn from the collaborative efforts of the American Library Association (ALA) and the Kids Right to Read Project.  Each blue bubble documents a book challenge or banned book from 2007 until 2010.  There were 460 challenges in 2009 alone, but the ALA estimates that those challenges represent a small fraction of actual  incidents because most go unreported.

The last week of September is traditionally set aside for  libraries to recognize the importance of our freedom to read.  Most people are surprised when they see the titles some folks want removed from library shelves.  According to the ALA, here are the top ten banned books for 2009:

• ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
• And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
• The Perks of Being A Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
• To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
• Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
• Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
• My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
• The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
• The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
• The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier

Come into the Central Library downtown to see our banned books display.  We’ll also be at the First Amendment Wall on the downtown mall on Friday, October 1st at noon.  Stop by and say hi!