![Banned Books Con banner with images of Mike Curato, Jaqueline Woodson and Ellen Hopkins](/sites/www.beyondthepage.info/files/2023-09/FB%20Event%20Covers%20Banned%20Books%20Con%20%284%29.png)
Join us October 1-7, 2023 to celebrate the freedom to read!
Dane County Public Libraries will host several free events (in person and virtual) throughout the week including banned book clubs, author visits, a panel discussion and freedom to read celebrations.
Join the conversation on social media! Share a banned book selfie or a reflection on why you support the freedom to read using #BannedBooksCon
Plus, pick up your free bookmarks, stickers and totes.
Schedule:
Sunday, October 1st | Panel discussion on censorship and intellectual freedom
2-3:30pm at Sun Prairie Public Library
Moderator:
- Bianca Martin, Host of City Cast Madison
Panelists:
- Dr. Ashley White, Asst. Prof. at UW-Madison and Education Fellow for the NAACP
- Erick Plumb, Director of Waunakee Public Library
- Brittany Gitzlaff, Children's Librarian at Waunakee Public Library
- Teresa Voss, School Librarian at Verona Area School District
![Banned Books Con: Panel Discussion Intellectual Freedom in the Face of Censorship](/sites/www.beyondthepage.info/files/styles/large_400x400_/public/2023-09/FB%20Event%20Covers%20Banned%20Books%20Con%20%282%29_0.png?itok=pzb18iOa)
Monday, October 2nd | IN PERSON Author talk & book signing: Mike Curato
6:30-8pm at Waunakee Public Library
View the live stream here: https://youtube.com/live/j8fOHZlSaas?feature=share (This event will not be recorded.)
A limited number of books will be available for sale at the event thanks to Lake City Books.
![Mike Curato (black & white headshot of Mike Curato, a filipino man with a thick black mustache smiling slightly) IN PERSON author talk & book signing Monday, October 2nd 6:30pm Waunakee Public Library. Banned Books Con logo (illustration of person reading a book with face half in shadow). Mike Curato's award-winning graphic novel "Flamer" was the #1 most challenged book in Wisconsin last year. Cover art for Flamer (illustration of a boy holding up the boy scout symbol of 3 fingers envelped in bright flames)](/sites/www.beyondthepage.info/files/styles/large_400x400_/public/2023-09/Mike%20Curato%20%28Facebook%20Event%20Cover%29%20%282%29.png?itok=7fSKkOky)
Tuesday, October 3rd | VIRTUAL Global livestream with author Jacqueline Woodson
12-1pm at Fitchburg, Deerfield and Oregon Public Libraries
(Livestream event only available in person at these libraries. Not recorded.)
![Jaqueline Woodson, Books and Beyond Join Jacqueline Woodson for Books and Beyond. Tuesday, October 3rd | via Zoom | 12pm central Image of Jacquline Woodson smiling in foreground, a woman with medium brown skin and short black hair worn in twists, wearing a bright magenta button down shirt with large white tropical leaf print. Four of her YA and children's books are shown against a bright, colorful background. Titles: Remember Us, Brown Girl Dreaming, Before the Ever After, and The Day You Begin.](/sites/www.beyondthepage.info/files/styles/large_400x400_/public/2023-07/BooksandBeyond_Horizontal--1-.png?itok=qFj46kEj)
Thursday, October 5th | IN PERSON Author talk & book signing: Ellen Hopkins
6-8pm at Sequoya Library (Madison Public Library)
Event will be live streamed on the Beyond the Page Facebook page (will not be recorded)
A limited number of books will be available for sale at the event thanks to Lake City Books.
![Ellen Hopkins](/sites/www.beyondthepage.info/files/styles/large_400x400_/public/2023-09/FB%20Event%20Covers%20Banned%20Books%20Con%20%283%29.png?itok=hfZa9mh4)
Friday, October 6th & Saturday, October 7th | Freedom to Read Celebrations
![Read freely Rainbow open book with 3 young people silouetted in front reading and small book butterlies floating out. Text: Read freely.](/sites/www.beyondthepage.info/files/styles/large_400x400_/public/2023-09/Banned%20Book%20Con%20Graphic%20TRANSPARENT.png?itok=u3MjuwTD)
Community Discussions:
Mon, Oct 2
12pm Banned Books Week Panel at UW-Madison’s iSchool (Bunge Room, Helen C. White Hall)
Tues, Oct 3
6:30pm Banned Books Roundtable at Sun Prairie Public Library
Book Clubs:
Wed, Oct 4
10:30 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison at Oregon Public Library
5:30 Crank by Ellen Hopkins at Deerfield Public Library
6:00 Flamer by Mike Curato at Fitchburg Public Library
6:30 Sci-fi & Fantasy titles at Stoughton Public Library
Thurs, Oct 5
6pm The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison at Rosemary Garfoot Public Library (Cross Plains, WI)
Fri, Oct 6
11am Banned Books Storytime at Fitchburg Public Library
Freedom to Read Celebrations:
Fri, Oct 6
3-4:30pm Freedom to Read Celebration at Cambridge Public Library
Sat Oct 7
10am-12pm Freedom to Read Celebration: Banned Books Buttons and Blackout Poetry with Bubbler Artist Rita Salm at Sequoya Library (Madison Public Library)
1-4pm Freedom to Read Celebration at Monona Public Library
3-4:30pm Banned Books Open Mic at Alicia Ashman Library