Banned Book Week begins this Monday, September 22 and its purpose is to educate people and draw attention to the problem of censorship. The week highlights frequently challenged classics alongside more recent novels that have come under fire.

“Banned Book Week is basically a celebration of the freedom to read,” Amy Pine, library media specialist, said. “Especially that [Lake Zurich] doesn’t ban books. We have a collection and let students make their own decisions. We definitely promote the freedom to choose what you read.”

The American Library Association (ALA,) one of several groups that sponsor Banned Book Week, has been celebrating since 1990. LZHS celebrates sporadically over the years, some years doing more than others, according to Dawn Scarbeck, library assistant.

Groups that challenge books aim to have them removed from school or public libraries. Among the top ten most challenged books for 2013 are: Looking For Alaska by John Green, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, and the Bone graphic novel series by Jeff Smith, according to the ALA website.

From May 2013 to May 2014, the Office of Intellectual Freedom reported 307 challenges. In 2004, the Office of Intellectual Freedom reported 547 challenges, the most since 2001.

“Look at the difference,” Pine said. “Ten years ago, there were over 200 more [challenges]. I guess it’s kind of comforting, how much it’s dropped in a decade.”