September 30, 2017

Rebel Readers: There's still time!

Are you participating in the #RebelReader Twitter tournament during #BannedBooksWeek?


Follow ALA OIF on Twitter, they will "announce the winners of the Rebel Reader Twitter Tournament! One winner will be chosen on every day of Banned Books Week 2017 at 4 p.m. Central."

September 29, 2017

Banned Books Week: Pinterest

IRC @ AU Library on Pinterest site features two boards, Banned Books Week and Banned and Challenged Books, filled with great resources for before, during, and after Banned Books Week.



September 28, 2017

Banned Books Week: Book Challenges


IRC Hours Update

The Instructional Resource Center will be closed from 11:50 am until 1:00 pm on Thursday, September 28th. Regular Thursday hours resume at 1:00 pm.  A complete listing of IRC hours and updates, including holiday hours, is available on our web site: IRC Hours & Updates.

September 27, 2017

Banned Books Week: Intellectual Freedom



Intellectual Freedom

"Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. it provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored" - ALA Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week: Censorship


Censorship

"Censorship is the suppression of ideas and information that certain persons-individuals, groups, or government officials - find objectionable or dangerous. Censors pressure public institutions, like libraries, to suppress and remove from public access information they judge inappropriate or dangerous, so that no one else has the chance to read or view the material and make up their own minds about it. The censor wnats to prejudge materials for everyone." - ALA Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week: Challenge or Banned?


Challenged or Banned?

"A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do no simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove materials from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parenets, students, and other concerned citizens, most challenges ore unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection." - ALA Banned Books Week

September 26, 2017

Top 10 Challenged Books of 2016


Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2016 according to ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom are presented below.  We have six in our juvenile / YA collection.

  1. This One Summer: by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
  2. Drama: by Raina Telgemeier
  3. George: by Alex Gino 
  4. I Am Jazz: by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas
  5. Two Boys Kissing: by David Levithan 
  6. Looking for Alaska: by John Green
  7. Big Hard Sex Criminals: by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Chip Zdarsky 
  8. Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread: by Chuck Palahniuk 
  9. Little Bill (series): by Bill Cosby and illustrated by Varnette P. Honeywood 
  10. Eleanor & Park: by Rainbow Rowell 


September 25, 2017

Banned Books Week: #RebelReader



Words Have Power

Join us and participate in the #BannedBooksWeek #RebelReader Twitter Tournament challenge sponsored by The American Library Association and ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom.
"The American Library Association invites you to speak out against censorship this Banned Books Week. Join the Rebel Reader Twitter Tournament and challenge yourself to complete action items on Twitter to be entered into a drawing for fantastic literary prizes. Similar to the Triwizard Tournament in the banned and challenged Harry Potter series, these tasks will test your creativity and knowledge." - ALA Rebel Reader

Getting Started

Need a few hints to get started with the twitter tournament?
  • Swag Photo: Stop in the library and pick up a new Banned Books Week button; the IRC display has button and magnets available (we have two new styles featuring the #WordsHavePower logo).  
  • Banned or Challenged Book Selfie: Our Banned Books Week library guide has a page devoted to Banned and Challenged Books (complete with lists!).
  • Coloring Sheet Photo: Pick up a Banned Books Week #WordsHavePower coloring sheet on the main floor or second floor coloring table - OR - print your own copy here.

Read more about the Twitter Tournament, including how to enter, on ALA's Rebel Reader Twitter Tournament site.

Good luck to everyone participating in the tournament!

September 24, 2017

Banned Books Week: September 24-30, 2017


Today is the first day of Banned Books Week. What is Banned Books Week?
"Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular." -- ALA Banned Books Week

Interested in learning more? There's a Banned Books Week LibGuide for that! It features an overview of  Banned Books Week history and challenged books, Library Resources and Internet & Infographic Resources for celebrating Banned Books Week, links to frequently banned and challenged books for the last ten yearschallenged classics,  and an interactive timeline highlighting 30 Years of Challenged Literature.

September 22, 2017

Banned Books Week: Are You Ready

Are you ready for #BannedBooksWeek?

We are! We've partnered with @ALALibrary and are participating in the national #RebelReader tournament and invite you to join us.

This year our #BannedBooksWeek free swag includes new limited edition buttons, magnets, bookmarks, a foldable paper fortune teller, and coloring pages. Items will be available at the circulation desk, magnets are available on the IRC display board. Follow us here and on Twitter @IRCaulibrary



September 19, 2017

Coming Soon: Banned Books Week

It's almost time!


Next week, September 24th - 30th is Banned Books week. We started celebrating a bit early with a new display featuring the Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2016.

"Of the 323 challenges recorded by the American Library Association in 2016, the top ten challenged books are" ...

Visit our display outside the IRC on the second floor, or the Banned Books Week LibGuide to learn more.

#BannedBooksWeek
#WordsHavePower

September 8, 2017

Welcome: Phonics Scavenger Hunt

It's phonics scavenger hunt time!
Working on your scavenger hunt project?
Having trouble finding some of the items?

We are here to help.  Ask in the IRC, AU Library 2nd floor, for assistance locating any items on your assignment. We also have a small token to give you after signing your completed worksheet.

When is the IRC open? IRC hours for this weekend are:
  • Friday: 8 am to 5 pm
  • Saturday: closed
  • Sunday: 1 pm to 6 pm
  • Monday: 8 am to 10 pm
See you soon! 

September 1, 2017

IRC Hours: Labor Day

The Instructional Resource Center will be closed Saturday, September 2nd and Sunday, September 3rd, Labor Day weekend.

We will be open 6 pm to 10 pm on Monday, September 4th. Regular fall hours resume on Tuesday, September 5th. A complete listing of hours and updates is available on our web site.