To highlight the Library’s commitment to fighting the censorship of books and ideas, and to encourage discussion, Banned Books Week scavenger hunts will be available for children ages (4–12) and teens (ages 12–18) at the Library from 4–20 October 2026 during open hours. Library members are encouraged to stop by the Children’s and Teens’ services desk for more information.

Banned books week (4 October–10 October) begins this week, and we encourage members to take advantage of the right to read, and to stop by the library to borrow one of the books on the American Library Association’s list of top challenged titles (all available in the Library’s collection).  Banned Books Week, organized by the American Library Association (ALA), takes place every year in the fall with the objective of spotlighting books that have been banned or challenged by individuals, schools, and governments all over the world, as well as to celebrate the value of free and open access to information. It’s important to note, when discussing challenges, that many attempts to ban books are not successful, often due to the work of librarians fighting for your right to read. The American Library Association website, and their Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) are the driving force behind Banned Books Week in America, gathering data from libraries across the US to fuel discussions about the subject.

The American Library in Paris’s collections policies are guided by the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights, which states that “Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.”