Spooky, Scary, Thrilling, Horrifying Books!

October is upon us and it’s time for ghost and horror stories! Check out the spooky books in the library display case just in time for Halloween. The display has a great variety of books featuring ghost hunters, witches, and paranormal activities as well as classic horror stories such as Frankenstein, Dracula and the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Find out about the most haunted places in Minnesota too. Come to the library for a scary October read…if you dare!

Banned Books Week Winners!

The winners of our Banned Books Week drawing are:

• Banned Book:     Mark Sievers
• Tote bag:         Nathan Hanson
• Mug:               Emmaculate Awasom

Many students comments on a banning in Washington state of A Child Called It.

Others commented on a banning of In Our Mothers' House:

Our display of Banned Books and blind date books will remain for a few more days in case you want to check one out. Thanks for celebrating the freedom to read with us!

Celebrate the Freedom to Read at the Library

It's Banned Book Week from Sept. 22 - 28.  Century students, faculty, and staff joined in the discussion on our whiteboard of the ban of the graphic novel Persepolis in Chicago school libraries.  Persepolis was the common book at Century in 2007-2008.

Come to the library and add your comments about a ban in Washington state of A Child Called It.  (Or just write on the board because it's fun.)  You can also enter a drawing to win a banned book, a banned book tote, or a banned book mug.  Borrow a banned book from our display or have a blind date with a wrapped book bearing only the reason why it was banned.  Celebrate the freedom to read!

Banned Books Week Activities, September 22-28

Celebrate the freedom to read during Banned Books Week, September 22 - 28, at the Century College Library:

• Register for a drawing to win a banned book or a banned books mug or tote
• Have a blind date with a banned book
• Check out a banned book from our display
• Comment on book banning on our portable whiteboard

Banned Books Week - What's It All About?

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982. According to the American Library Association, there were 464 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2012, and many more go unreported. The 10 most challenged titles of 2012 were:

1. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
   Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: Offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
3. Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher
   Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group
4. Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James.
   Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit
5. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.
   Reasons: Homosexuality, unsuited for age group
6. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini.
   Reasons: Homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit
7. Looking for Alaska, by John Green.
   Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
8. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
   Reasons: Unsuited for age group, violence
9. The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls
   Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit
10. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
    Reasons: Sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence

text from: http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/about

Comics, Manga, Graphic Novels, and More!

The library now has a wide selection of titles for all lovers of the genre.  Check out some of our newest titles:

The Lovely Horrible Stuff: My Book about Money by Eddie Campbell

Award-winning cartoonist Eddie Campbell presents a graphic essay on the subject of money, from both a personal and a world historical perspective.

Goliath by Tom Gauld

A reworking of the David-and-Goliath myth and in this tale, Goliath isn't much of a fighter.

Dance in the Vampire Bund by Nozomu Tamaki

After hiding for a millennium vampire Mina Tepes reemerges with a plan to pay off Japan’s gross national debt and thus secure the authority to create a "special district" to serve as a haven for vampires from all over the globe.

Search the catalog for a full listing, or come to the library and browse the collection.  All titles are shelved together at the back of the library.  If you love comics, or just want to try something new, come to see what we have!

Library Closed August 31 - September 2

The Library will be closed August 31 - September 2 for the Labor Day holiday.