Posted on 27 February 2025 by Chris Brown.
Libraries across Canada are recognizing Freedom to Read Week from Feb. 23 to March 1.
The Freedom to Read website says the week, marked each February, encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom. It also encourages people to “actively defend their right to publish, read and write freely and to widen their understanding of the negative effects of censorship, not just on readers but on writers and publishers as well.”
Chief librarian Ken Feser, in an interview with CHAT News this week, said this week is a good time to start a conversation in hopes of allowing people to see the value of intellectual freedom.
“To me, it seems self-evident that people should be able to read freely, in a free democracy, but not everybody believes that,” Feser said.
Founded in 1984, Freedom to Read Week is meant to challenge the covert nature of censorship, creating a broader awareness of these ongoing challenges to Canadian writing.
“It’s more important than ever for libraries to defend free expression and open dialogue,” says Åsa Kachan, chair of the Canadian Urban Libraries Council, in a news release. “Freedom to Read Week is more than an event – it’s a call to action, reminding us that the right to read, write and explore diverse perspectives is fundamental to a free and democratic society.”
As of last year, Freedom to Read Week is led by Library and Archives Canada, the Canadian Urban Libraries Council, and the Ontario Library Association in partnership with the Book and Periodical Council.
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