Banned Book Sanctuary
In conjunction with Crossings229 and Midway Hills Christian Church

What is a Banned Book Sanctuary?
Books with important ideas on their pages are being censored, banned, and even burned, at an alarming rate. Books with important ideas within their pages. In defense of these books, the Book Sanctuary Movement has been gaining popularity across the United States. The goals of a book sanctuary are to collect and protect endangered books, make them broadly accessible, spark conversations about diversity and freedom of speech, and educate others on the dangers of book banning.

What Do I Do with this Book Sanctuary?
Feel free to borrow any books you see on this cart and bring them back once you’ve read them. This is completely on the honor system, so borrow and read freely. Check back often, we plan to add titles on a regular basis!

How Can I Support this Banned Book Sanctuary?
You can donate banned books (either from your home, or purchased) and add them to our cart. We are looking for Banned Books for all ages. There are several lists online if you want to explore the titles that have been banned. You can donate funds designated towards the Banned Book Sanctuary, to be applied to the purchase of new books. You can spread the word about our Book Sanctuary and about censorship in general. Use the hashtags #Crossings229BannedBookSanctuary or #MHCCBannedBookSanctuary if sharing posts about the program on social media.

Why does this Banned Book Sanctuary exist?
Both Midway Hills and Crossings229 enable members of the community and congregation to interface and interact with a broad range of diverse people. The vision of this Banned Book Sanctuary aligns with the missions of Midway Hills: to Be Inclusive, Do Justice, and Embrace Diversity. It also aligns with the goals of Crossings229 by promoting relationships within our community, fostering creativity, and making interpersonal connections.

How can we fight censorship?
To fight censorship, make banned books available, and promote the freedom to read! Stay informed. If you hear of a challenge to a book, or an attempt to ban one at a local level, support your librarians in protecting free and open access to reading materials by contacting the Office for Intellectual Freedom at oif@ala.org. Follow these hashtags  #theBookSanctuary and #JointheREADsistance

What do banned books teach us?
People in power often attempt to suppress ideas that threaten their power or threaten the status quo. These ideas are often the very ones we need to read most. Banned books can expose you (or your child) to valuable ideas, thoughts, and people. Reading books that involve experiences outside of your ordinary life opens you to learning new things. These books can teach empathy, acceptance, and foster self-confidence.  Every banned book you choose to read and learn from brings an important human voice back to life.

Why is it important to protect banned books?
The repercussions of banning books stretch way beyond the books themselves. Banning a book is the first step toward erasing not just someone's work, but their humanity and their surrounding culture. Banning books endangers tolerance and restricts free expression. Banning books is a step toward ignorance, intolerance, and hate. Banning books protects people in power by suppressing powerful ideas about liberation. Protecting books validates and supports others, increases empathy and understanding, and by doing so, can help build a better world and brighter future for us all. Together, we pledge to keep books safe and their ideas available to all.