ACE-ing Banned Books Week: Advocacy, Community, and Empowerment

Banned Books Week is an annual opportunity for libraries to engage with patrons on the issue of book censorship, encourage exploration of anti-censorship resources, and advocate for the freedom to read. Yet, with calls for book removals spreading from school and public libraries to higher education and special institutions, banned books marketing has embodied both awareness and calls to action. How can this marketing translate into library outreach, and what strategies can be implemented to not only educate but also empower librarians and patrons alike? This session will examine how Banned Books Week outreach efforts in a large academic library setting have evolved, while offering programming and outreach suggestions that can be adapted to suit your library. At the end of this session, we will facilitate discussion with audience members and encourage sharing of personal and professional experiences with banned books advocacy and outreach efforts. 

Learning Objectives:

Presenters:

Sierra Schuman (she/her) is an Instruction and Outreach Librarian at ASU Library, part of the E-Learning and Instruction Division. She works with first-year college students, introducing them to library resources and teaching information literacy concepts. She got introduced to the realm of academic librarianship while working at Southern Methodist University Libraries, focusing on online learning content, library instruction, reference services, and Finals Week outreach. Starting in 2024, she has co-coordinated outreach and informational materials for ASU Library’s Banned Books Week. Her interests lie in student-centered learning practices, reference help, wellness, generative AI, banned books, and book recommendations. She holds memberships to the Arizona Library Association and the American Library Association, with additional participation in the New Members and Graphic Novels & Comics Roundtables. 

Leela Denver (she/they) is an Instruction and Outreach Librarian in the E-Learning and Instruction Division at ASU Library. Leela has a background in creative writing and English literature and has worked in both special collections and academic library settings. Leela is passionate about serving queer and neurodiverse populations and empowering students in building and utilizing critical information literacy skills. Her current professional focus lies in library instruction to first-year college students, non-traditional online students, high schoolers, and international students, as well as virtual and in-person outreach. 

Corie Cisco (she/her) is a Faculty Librarian at Glendale Community College. She brings a strong background in inclusive collection development, student support, and community outreach. Before joining GCC, she worked as the Project Coordinator for Open Stacks at the ASU Library, where she led a variety of collections initiatives, including leisure reading and featured collections that emphasized community engagement and collaboration. Corie is a first-generation college graduate and an alumna of Arizona State University, where she earned a B.A. in English and Religious Studies and an M.A. in English and Gender Studies. In addition to her library experience, Corie has worked in student affairs, curriculum development, and events management. She is passionate about creating comprehensive, accessible library resources that reflect and serve the diverse needs of students and the broader campus community. 

Christina Peck (she/her) is the Communications and Outreach Program Coordinator with Arizona State University Library. Her work focuses on developing outreach programming to connect the student population with the library. Her work involves creating partnerships with student-serving units at ASU in an effort to integrate the library into the lives of the student population and connect them to library resources. She has an ongoing partnership with the International Student Scholar Center, ensuring the international student population at ASU is connected to the library through regular events, resource sharing, and specialized outreach. She works on the ASU Library's flagship social media accounts to reach the wider ASU community.