1. Banned Books Con

Banned Books Con

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Banned Books Con banner with images of Mike Curato, Jaqueline Woodson and Ellen Hopkins

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
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Banned Books Con: Panel Discussion Intellectual Freedom in the Face of Censorship

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.

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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)

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.)

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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.

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.

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Ellen Hopkins

Friday, October 6th & Saturday, October 7th | Freedom to Read Celebrations

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Rainbow open book with 3 young people silouetted in front reading and small book butterlies floating out. Text: Read freely.

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