In honor of Banned Books Week, this exhibit from the William L. Clements Library presents twelve titles from the collection that have been the subject of controversy at different moments in history.
These books span over three centuries, from Reginald Scot’s The Discoverie of Witchcraft in 1584 to Elinor Glyn’s Three Weeks in 1907. They provide examples of actual or attempted censorship by governments, social organizations, and private citizens. The topics of controversy, from witchcraft to abolitionism to adultery, show how societies’ values have changed over time as subjects that are taboo in one generation become commonplace in the next.
Now on display in the center cases of the Main Room at the Clements Library. Regular exhibit hours: Monday through Friday, 1:00 pm to 4:45 pm.
To learn more about this display, view the full online exhibit created for last year’s Banned Books Week.
Other current exhibits in the Main Room: “Fine Tuning a Great Collection: The How and Why of Recent Acquisitions” and Adopt-A-Piece-of-History.