Students and staff gathered at Gulf Coast State College on September 23rd to kick off National Banned Books Week, an event promoting awareness of library censorship and the importance of access to diverse literature. Throughout the week, the college hosted various activities aimed at encouraging students to explore the issues surrounding literary freedom. Events included art displays, readings, and raffles, all designed to encourage students to hold discussions on the significance of protecting access to all kinds of literature.

To start off the week of events, the “Banned Books and Butterbeer” event was hosted by the college library. Taking inspiration from the controversial Harry Potter series, where butterbeer is a favorite drink of the characters, staff offered homemade butterbeer to students as they explored the library’s exhibit of banned and challenged books in the library lobby.

 

The lobby was filled with vibrant and colorful displays, including shelves of banned books available for checkout, artwork and homemade signs, and raffle prizes that gave students a chance to win copies of the top ten most challenged books of 2023. “I want students to know just how large this event is. It’s not just here, it’s a national program, and with most of our students becoming of voting age, they have the ability to make a change and have a voice in this issue,” said Liam O’Leary, Coordinator of Library Services and Banned Books week.

Despite the challenges posed by Hurricane Helene, which closed the campus and inevitably canceled events for the rest of the week, students and professors got creative to keep the event alive. The planned Banned Books Chalk Art Display, originally scheduled to be done in the Student Union Breezeway, was moved indoors to the Amelia G. Tapper Arts Center. Professor of art, Tammy Marinuzzi, challenged and assigned her Drawing 1 students with the task of filling the building’s chalk hallway with drawings of their favorite banned books, along with explanations of why those books had been challenged.

Art Majors Maya Wells and Dani Smith shared insights into their chalk art, which featured illustrations based off of the books The Golden Compass and Frankenstein. “When you think about these books and then you’re like “Oh why wouldn’t they want us to read this?” And they’re like “Oh well you have to keep these books out of schools because of DEI and religion problems,” says Wells, designer of the golden compass piece. “But some kids deserve to read these books and to see and read things that are like them. Why can’t we have kids of color in books? and for this one (the golden compass) they blatantly said that it was anti-religion, even though the whole series is an analogy for religion, so I guess they just didn’t want us to see the bad parts of religion.” Added Wells.

Smith chose to illustrate a piece from the work of Frankenstein and explained, “I chose Frankenstein because it’s banned for mimicking God’s power to create life, even though Frankenstein is a literal monster so that really doesn’t make sense. I think people sometimes get confused and a little ignorant when it comes to stories.”

 
 

The event series engaged these students with creative activities and highlighted the ongoing battle against censorship, encouraging them to reflect on their role in protecting the freedom to read.

Avery Troutman

Student Writer - Fall 2024