Since its inception in 1982, Banned Books Week has been celebrated annually by the American Library Association at libraries, schools, colleges, and universities around the nation. We celebrate the right to read and the freedom to share stories. This year’s theme is “Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights,” which seems appropriate as censorship efforts in the nation have escalated.
No one may be burning books in America, but, remarkably, Americans are starting to pull books off the shelves to comply with executive orders.
On March 31, 2025, the U.S. Naval Academy removed 381 books as they tried to comply with new executive orders around diversity, equity, and inclusion. This move caused a public outcry, and a month later, most of the books had been reshelved.
The ongoing political discussions around censorship may not cause public outcry until the public becomes personal--your job, your library, your university, your favorite book that is affected-- so this year the Waynesburg University Writing Center’s Banned Books Week Writing Contest asks the writers to think of a personal impact that would prompt a public response. Avoiding the mire of current politics and embracing the dystopian novel “1984” from the ALA theme, this year’s contest takes two forms: writing and speech.
Writing Contest Prompt
Imagine a dystopian world where your favorite book is about to be banned and removed from the shelves of Eberly Library. Write a persuasive speech (three minutes or less in length) to defend the book and keep it on the shelves. To win the contest, you must deliver your persuasive speech in the Skylight Room of Eberly library on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 5:30 p.m.
Be creative and persuasive!
Written entries must be emailed to sscott@waynesburg.edu by Tuesday, Sept. 30.
