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The New York Civil Liberties - Capital Region Chapter in partnership with the Albany Public Library (APL) will be hosting our annual Banned Books Readout on October 7, 2025 from 6 pm - 7:30 pm at the APL Washington Avenue branch. This year's event - Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights – is a stark reminder of the escalation in attempts to ban books in libraries, schools, and bookstores around the country. George Orwell’s cautionary tale "1984" serves as a prescient warning about the dangers of censorship. This year’s theme reminds us that the right to read belongs to all of us, that censorship has no place in contemporary society, and that we must defend our rights.
The Banned Books Readout will feature local area actors, artists, poets, writers, and musicians who select and read passages from banned or challenged books that highlight our key democratic principles of free speech, intellectual freedom, freedom of expression, right to privacy, and the dangers of censorship in our communities.
“The 2025 theme of Banned Books Week serves as a reminder that censorship efforts persist to this day,” ALA President Cindy Hohl said. “We must always come together to stand up for the right to read.”
The event will also provide a brief overview of the challenges related to intellectual freedom and the status of banned and challenged books in the country, New York, and the local community.
This year's co-sponsors of the event include: Albany Public Library, NYCLU, League of Women Voters, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, and the Albany (NY) Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Feel free to come to the event dressed like you would have in 1984!!
Note to parents: Reading selections may contain adult themes.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Albany NY Library (161 Washington Ave, Albany, NY), United States
