MSUM Commemorates Banned Book Week

Livingston Lord Library wants to take a stand with the first amendment by defending Literature

MOORHEAD, Minn. — MSUM’s Livingston Lord Library is showing solidarity with other libraries across the country by celebrating the freedom to read during banned books week.

In a push for literary freedom, the library has put up a board allowing visitors to write out the names of books that had a positive effect on them but were at least at some point banned.

There is also a list and display of previously banned books, along with the reason for the ban.

Literary freedom is seen as a First Amendment right to people.

There have even been book burnings as late as 2018 trying to limit some printed media.

Library official Cori Edgerton helped organize the event.

“We have a first amendment right that you have that freedom to read what you want. Just because you don’t necessarily like it or you don’t agree with that opinion doesn’t mean someone else has that same opinion. ”

In 2019 alone there was 377 books that were challenged to be on a “banned” list at some point.

Most of the books banned has themes that discuss racial identity, sexual identity, and draw from real world experiences.