Sachse Public Library is gearing up to join libraries, bookstores and universities across the country for a weeklong literary celebration.

Banned Books Week will last from Sept. 23-29. It was launched in 1982 to bring awareness to the number of books that are challenged each year. The theme for 2018 is “Banning Books Silences Stories.”

“People consider certain books to be controversial because they contain ideas they are opposed to,” said Library Manager Daniel Laney. “When they come across that in the written form, it’s not as easy for them to argue against it as they could if it was someone they were speaking with. When it’s in a written form, they oftentimes seek to silence that. I encourage people to read ideas that challenge their own beliefs so they’re exposed to a variety of viewpoints.”

This year’s display at Sachse Public Library will focus on commonly challenged children’s books. Laney believes parents play a part in influencing what their kids read, so he wants to have a wide variety of choices available.

For the full story see the Sept. 20 issue or subscribe online.

By Morgan Howard • [email protected]