This week we celebrate Freedom to Read Week. It is an annual event, now in its 30th year, that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom. Organized by the the Freedom of Expression Committee of the Book and Periodical Council of Canada, Freedom to Read Week draws attention to efforts to ban books in Canada or remove them from public libraries, bookstores or classrooms. As explained in the organization's position statement: "Words and images in their myriad configurations are the substance of free expression. The freedom to choose what we read does not, however, include the freedom to choose for others. We accept that courts alone have the authority to restrict reading material, a prerogative that cannot be delegated or appropriated. Prior restraint demeans individual responsibility; it is anathema to freedom and democracy."

To celebrate that fundamental right, we've gathered together some of our favourite items - including a tiny Bible from our Regis collection that has Adam and Eve censored out on the title page (click on the image for a larger view) - that have either been censored, banned or challenged through the years. Please come to the library and assert your freedom to read by reading one of these books!