September 30-October 6 is Banned Books Week, set aside to promote great literature that has been banned or challenged. You can learn more online at the ALA Banned Book Week website (should you be luckier than I and find that the website is actually functional). They have great promotional posters with pirates, and you know how I feel about pirates.
Jessamyn West of librarian.net has collected useful links for Banned Books Week as well as a related post on union issues. Unshelved takes a funny look at books challenged in the library (keep reading, it may be the start of a series). Amnesty International also has a Banned Books Week page.
In honor of Banned Books Week, I’ve scanned the lists of books frequently banned and/or challenged and selected two books I’ve never read before to read this week: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (a banned book about banned books, what could be more appropriate?) and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I have to stop by my new local library to pick these up. And when I’m done, I can wear this pin:
Panorama of the Mountains 
I love it! I want that pin. I should read Fahrenheit 451 too!
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I’ll admit, I am scared of pirates. My worst fear was that Tim would want to be a pirate for Halloween, but luckily he wants to be a tiger. I have pirate ancestry and have no desire to reinvigorate that profession within my family.
Kathleen
P.S. I am also scared of Norwegian wharf rats.
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Good news on the banned books front.
Prisons to Restore Purged Religious Books
By NEELA BANERJEE
Published: September 27, 2007
Republican lawmakers, liberal Christians and evangelical talk shows all criticized the government for creating a list of acceptable religious books.
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Harvard Bibliophiles Censure Censorship
Harvard Crimson
Wednesday, October 03, 2007 3:47 AM
By Rachel A Stark
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