Almost as long as we can print them, books have been stigmatised, banned and cancelled by institutions and individuals. As university library, each year we expand our collection of banned books, exploring questions around freedom of expression and the transformative power of books. On 6 October we’re presenting this year’s expansion of 24 titles.
In this lunch break activity, the librarians who’ve compiled the selection each present one of the books from the Collection Banned Books. They’ll tell more about the context in which the books has been banned; and reflect on their own role as librarians in sharing these stories and safeguarding access to these books. Initiator of the collection, Pam Kaspers, library manager of information services, will open this short programme.
The collection is housed on the entry floor of the University Library (HG-01A01). Of course, this is where we’ll welcome you to join this opening, too. We know how time flies during the break and that it can take a while to cross the campus, so don’t worry about coming in later or having to leave earlier.
Full programme
- 12:45 p.m., walk-in
- 1:00 p.m., introduction by Pam Kaspers
- 1:05 p.m., presenting of four titles by Esther Nijland, Suzy Faiz, Jeroen Bos and Peter Victor
- 1:20 p.m., room for questions
- 1:25 p.m., wind-down with soft drinks
- 1:45 p.m., disbanding