Have you ever read The Great Gatsby, Romeo and Juliet, Lord of the Flies, Charlotte’s Web, or The Wizard of Oz? If you have, you have read a banned book! You may be wondering what a banned book is, and that is what you hopefully picked up during Wednesday’s Ovation. Wednesday, our librarian extraordinaire, Ms. Mandel, provided the student body with a presentation on banned books in celebration of next week’s Banned Book Week.

Banned Book Week is an event celebrated during the last week of September every year, celebrating the freedom to read.

At Out-of-Door, books are not banned from the school library. Ms. Mandel puts on a wonderful display every year of banned books that are in our school’s library collection.

Books are not banned at ODA. Ms. Mandel also shared her thoughts about intellectual freedom. “At ODA we celebrate intellectual freedom and curiosity…It is important people understand people are entitled to read what they want to.” What students choose to check out from the library is confidential – only known by Mrs. Mandel and the student.

These books listed above, are books that have been banned at some place, at some time, from a school library, public library, or community, where free access is no longer permitted for the certain book. Mandel explained that a book could be banned in one city, but in another city the book might be completely available. So if you have read any of those books, not to worry, you have not broken the law!

In fact, Ms. Mandel is holding a contest where a student can read a banned banned book from the library’s collection, and once you prove to Ms. Mandel that you have read said book, you will be entered into a drawing where you can win a secret prize. More information about when it will take place will be provided as the date approaches.

Go check out a banned book from Ms. Mandel; you could win a contest! Embrace your intellectual freedom.