The Indianapolis Public Library Celebrates the Freedom to Read with John Green on October 2

The Indianapolis Public Library is kicking off national Banned Books Week with a discussion with #1 New York Times bestselling author and Indianapolis resident John Green on October 2 at 6 p.m. at Central Library's Clowes Auditorium. Green will participate in a moderated conversation about banned and challenged books and intellectual freedom with educator and Indiana State Senator Andrea Hunley (District 46).

Tickets to the event are limited but free to the public and available on Eventbrite on September 26. Kid's Ink will be at the event to sell books by Green. One signed bookplate per person will be available while supplies last.

“Across the nation, efforts to ban books have increased over the last couple of years,” said Gregory Hill, CEO of the Indianapolis Public Library. “Schools and public libraries are impacted by these efforts and must navigate requests to see books relocated or restricted. The Indianapolis Public Library holds intellectual freedom as a critical value. It is important to understand and help educate others on the value of intellectual freedom. Therefore, we are excited to welcome John Green to lead a discussion about this important and timely topic as we start Banned Books Week and celebrate our freedom to read.”

Green’s young adult (YA) novel “Looking for Alaska” is listed among the American Library Association's most banned books in 2022, and it has been referenced in nationwide discussions on book banning and reshelving in schools and public libraries. His YA novel, “The Fault In Our Stars,” has been challenged and pulled from the shelves of school library collections and public libraries—but not at the Indianapolis Public Library, where all of Green’s titles are circulated and in demand.

National Banned Books Week, taking place October 1 — 7, 2023, is an annual celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 as a response to a growing number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores, and libraries. The Indianapolis Public Library event underscores the importance of unrestricted access to information and the power of literature to challenge conventional norms.