October 6th – October 24th
Liberate Words & Minds during Banned Books Week.
Celebrate Banned Books Week with Fresno State! Partnerships with Fresno State Library, the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center, African American and LGBTQ2+ Programs and Services, Africana Studies Program, College of Social Sciences, CineCulture, and the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature have amazing events and programs that center the power of reading, libraries, and education to liberate words and minds.
Schedule of Events
Once Upon an Indoctrination: A Short History of American Children’s Literature, exhibit
October 6 – October 24th
Library Diversity Lounge, 2nd Floor North
Created in celebration of Banned Books Week, Once Upon an Indoctrination presents a selection of American children’s literature from the 17th century – to present and asks: how did we get here? Examining the social and historical context of these publications and their impact on education, we see a narrative of American values—and those it discouraged–unfold.
The materials featured in this exhibit here come from our Fresno State Library’s Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature, Teacher Resource Center, and Special Collections and Research Center. As viewers move through the history of this genre, we invite them to reflect on their own memories of reading and the stories that shaped and challenged their educational journeys and personal growth.
COSS Teach-in: Politicization of Public Libraries
Tuesday, October 7th
10:00 am – 11:00am
Although public libraries have long been a prized space dedicated to intellectual freedom, literacy, and community building, libraries in the US have faced a rise in political pressures in recent years. talk will explore some of the historical and contemporary roles public libraries play in upholding democratic principles, with particular attention to how book bans reflect broader tensions over intellectual freedom and inclusion. Additionally, this talk will explore the impact of increased politicization on the public library workforce and highlight the important role librarians play in protecting access to information and ensuring that public libraries remain spaces for all.
Liberate Words & Minds: A Banned Books Week Read-In
Thursday, October 9th
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Library Diversity Lounge, 2nd Floor North
The American Library Association (ALA) launched Banned Books Week in 1982 in response to a surge in book challenges across libraries and bookstores. More than forty years later, the need to defend open access to ideas remains prevalent.
Fresno State Library, Africana Studies, African American Programs and Services, LGBTQ2+ Programs and Services, and the COSS teach-in invite the campus community to a public read-in to share a short passage from a banned or challenged book to affirm diverse stories and perspectives. Need suggestions for books to read? Learn more from the American Library Association: https://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10
The read-in features a short talk by Dr. Josephine Hazelton-Boyle, drawing from her COSS teach-in on the politicization of public libraries. Additionally, Fresno County Public Library will be doing library card sign ups and there will be a raffle for banned and challenged books purchased from local bookstore Judging by the Cover. The first five students who sign up for the read-in will receive a Judging by the Cover tote bag!
Please direct accommodation requests to Ginny Barnes at gbarnes@mail.fresnostate.edu
Sign-up to read! fslib.link/read-in
CineCulture: The Librarians (2025), film screening
Friday, October 10th
5:30 pm
Peters Educational Center Auditorium (in Student Recreation Center)
As an unprecedented wave of book banning largely addressing race and LGBTQIA+ issues is sparked in Texas, Florida and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy. In his film The Librarians, director Kim A. Snyder takes us to an unexpected front line where librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy, free access to information, and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities. In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQIA+ stories—triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of White Christian Nationalism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats and laws aimed at criminalizing their work—the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale. 88 minutes.
Discussants: Michelle Gordon Hartman (Sacramento Public Library), Ginny Barnes (Fresno State Library), Sarah McDanial (Fresno State Library)
Once Upon an Indoctrination: A Short History of American Children’s Literature, docent tour
Monday, October 13th
12:00pm – 1:00pm
Library Diversity Lounge, 2nd Floor North
Why are some books banned and others cemented into the literary canon? Get a closer look at the exhibit and learn more about the history of American children’s literature with the exhibit curator and the Arne Nixon Center.
A Conversation With George M Johnson
Wednesday, October 15th
12:00pm – 1:30pm
Fresno City College, OAB 251 (Old Administration Building)
Join us for a conversation on the Intersection of Race, Sexuality, Gender, and Education between Fresno City College professor Dr. Apryl Lewis and George M. Johnson, author of All Boys Aren’t Blue, We Are Not Broken, and The Flamboyants. For more information, please contact: 559-442-8242
This event is part of the Building Together initiative, a collaborative effort between Fresno State’s LGBTQ2+ Programs and Services and Fresno City College’s Pride Center. The initiative is designed to support LGBTQ2+ and allied transfer students, as well as current Fresno State and Fresno City College students, while fostering strong cross-campus partnerships. The event is hosted in collaboration with the Cross Cultural and Gender Center’s LGBTQ2+ Programs and Services and African American Programs and Services.
Filamentos (artes e letras) 