MAUS Celebrated for Banned Books Week at OCPL

The Ohio County Public Library will celebrate Banned Books Week by recognizing the Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novel “Maus” (1986) and “Maus II” (1991) with multiple events. These events will include the launch of a new “Graphic Novel Discussion Group” that will begin on September 1st at 4:00pm. A “Lunch with Books Panel Discussion” will be held on September 20th at Noon featuring Rabbi Joshua Lief, Dr. Jeff Rutherford, Dr. Darin McGinnis, and Mrs. Judith Olsavsky. The “Graphic Novel Discussion Group” will continue on October 6th at 4:00pm to discuss the book and author. All events are scheduled to be held at the Ohio County Public Library. A limited number of free copies of the book are being provided by the library for those interest.

The acclaimed book by author and illustrator Art Spiegelman depicts his Jewish father, a holocaust survivor, and other family member’s struggle during the holocaust. The book is written through a series of interviews that the author conducted with his father regarding his experience. In addition to his holocaust account, the book depicts the relationship that the author had with his immigrant father.

Banned Books Week 2022 will be held nationally from September 18 – 24. Launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores, and libraries, "Banned Books Week" is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. According to bannedbooksweek.org, It highlights the value of free and open access to information by bringing together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

The theme of this year’s event is “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.” The American Library Association (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted by librarians and teachers across the country. In January 2022, a Tennessee school board infamously banned "Maus," a graphic novel about the Holocaust, ostensibly because it contains "inappropriate curse words" and nudity.

For more information and to reserve a free copy of the MAUS call 304-232-0244 or email [email protected].

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RESERVE MAUS AT THE OCPL

RESERVE MAUS II AT THE OCPL

RESERVE METAMAUS AT THE OCPL