Hosted in collaboration with the School of Data and Information Sciences (SDIS) and the University Libraries, the Banned Books Reading celebrates our essential First Amendment rights through the power of literature.

We’re still censoring books in 2026? Yes! And it means a lot more than taking books off the shelves of libraries and schools. It also means that our constitutionally-guaranteed right to read under the First Amendment is under attack.  

Stand Up for the Freedom to Read: Join Us for a Public Reading of Banned Books

Experience:

• Live readings from banned and challenged books by Carolina community members
• Interactive button-making station celebrating literary freedom
• Special collection of banned books available for checkout
• Discussions about the impact of censorship on democracy

Banned Books Week, which takes place this year from October 4th through October 10th, was created as a response to censorship and to highlight the necessity of free and open access to information. This year’s theme is “Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read.” 

Do you want to read aloud? Sign up here for a specific time here.

This event is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day, organized by the UNC Center for Media Law and Policy, and is free and open to the public. Students can earn Campus Life Experience (CLE) credit.