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For Immediate Release
Contact: Judith Platt, AAP:
(202) 220-4551
Judith Krug, ALA: (312)
280-4222 Chris Finan, ABFFE (212) 587-4025
MEDIA
ADVISORY
BANNED
BOOKS WEEK 'HEROES' TO BE HONORED AT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS EVENT
September
11, 2000, Washington, DC: What do a Boy Scout from California, a Michigan
sheep farmer and an 8th grade teacher have in common?? Harry Potter AND
an extraordinary commitment to the freedom to read, and they're all coming
to Washington to be honored at the Library of Congress.
The Librarian
of Congress, the President of the American Library Association, Senators and Members
of Congress representing the Heroes' home districts will be there when former
Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, President of the Association of American Publishers,
presents a special award to each of the Banned Books Week Heroes. The event, which
takes place on September 25 and is open to the public, kicks off Banned Books
Week, an annual observance that reminds us not to take our precious freedom to
read for granted.
In discussing
ways to celebrate the first Banned Books Week of the New Millennium, three sponsoring
groups--the Association of American Publishers, the American Library Association,
and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression- agreed it would be
fitting (and fun) to pay tribute to individuals, both kids and grownups, who put
their belief in the principle of freedom to read into action. Not surprisingly,
Harry Potter played a role in helping to identify those who were chosen
this year. The most challenged books of 1999 according to the American Library
Association, the Harry Potter books are unique in their astonishing popularity
among teachers and parents, as well as kids. Attempts to force their removal from
public school classrooms and libraries ran smack into walls of resistance, generating
some pretty strong feelings about the right to read the books we choose. Each
of the Banned Books Week Heroes turned beliefs into action in different ways.
For additional information on the individual heroes, contact Judith Platt, AAP,
(202) 220-4551
WHAT:
Special event honoring three "Banned Books Week Heroes"
WHERE:
Madison Hall of the Library of Congress James Madison Building, 101 Independence
Ave., S.E.
WHEN:
Monday, September 25, 2000 11:00 a.m.
WHO:
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington;
Pat Schroeder, President, Association of American Publishers;
Nancy Kranich, President, American Library Association
Chris Finan, President, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
And Banned
Books Week Heroes:
Billy Smith, Santa Ana, California
Mary Dana, Grand Haven, Michigan
Nancy Zennie, Zeeland, Michigan
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