I am a little late, but here at Sam’s Beach Reads, Banned Books Week is a national holiday. As there is more and more challenges throughout America’s libraries, schools, and even private bookstores, it is more important than ever to stand up for the freedom to read. The stats are staggering – never before has the attack on literacy been so fierce.

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. Held in the last week of September or first week of October, the annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas. 

This year’s theme is “Censorship is so 1984 – Read for your Rights.” It is hard not to get political in these dire times, and the numbers don’t lie. When people’s rights are being taken away, the first line of defense is providing information and guidance through literature. Not only does the freedom to read allow people to know and understand their rights, it teaches people, young and old, how to think critically and independently.

With that in mind, I bring you Bookshop.org’s Anti-Prime Day. Bookshop is a web store founded during COVID to lift up and bring awareness to independent book stores, and every year since, hundreds more bookstores have opened than closed. Bookshop is a bastion of free speech and promotion of literacy and stands against global behemoths like Amazon, which donates to causes that roll back literacy protections and exploit independent authors. In its fight, Bookshop is not only offering free shipping this week, but also 20% off its entire banned books collection.

I for one am guilty of buying things on Amazon – I think most of us are. However, with the advent of new and used bookstores online and brick and mortar, and services like Bookshop, we can all do better about buying books outside of the “Amazon-sphere.”

Join me this week in celebrating banned books, historically marginalized authors, and fighting for our rights by fighting censorship.