A collection of once-banned books is on display at the Estevan Public Library this week, inviting readers to explore titles that have faced censorship over the years. The display is part of Freedom to Read Week, which runs from February 23 to March 1, 2025, an annual event that highlights the importance of intellectual freedom in communities across Canada and beyond.
Jason Redshaw, head librarian at the Estevan Public Library, said the week is about the right to access books and information without restriction.
“Freedom to Read basically promotes that people should have the right to read whatever they want," Redshaw said. "The Saskatchewan Library Association, along with the Canadian Library Association, has always been against the banning of books, regardless of what the book is. People should have the option to read it for whatever purpose they choose.”
Over the years, many books have been challenged or banned, some more famously than others.
“There’s always been books over the years that have been challenged," Redshaw said. "The Catcher in the Rye is the main one people think of, but there’s been many, many others.”
While Redshaw hasn’t personally dealt with many book challenges in Estevan, he recalled a past request to remove a Fred Astaire film due to a blackface performance.
“They wanted me to pull it, and I didn’t because I said you can use that as an educational tool, in a historical context,” he explained.
He also noted that in some cases, authors themselves choose to pull their books from circulation.
“The authors pull their books, which they have the right to do. That’s come up from time to time.”
To spark discussion and awareness, the Estevan Public Library sets up a banned book display each year, showcasing titles that people may not realize have been challenged in the past.
“If you’re aware that books can be challenged, then the next time you hear about a book being banned, you’ll be more willing to stand up and say, ‘No, I want to read this book. I want to keep it at my library or my school,’” Redshaw said.
For him, the principle of intellectual freedom is clear.
“I often say, freedom of speech isn’t about protecting speech that you like—it’s about protecting speech that you don’t like,” he said. “You’re going to have various opinions, and the sooner people realize that, the better.”
He also pointed to the role of social media in shaping public discourse, noting how algorithms often reinforce personal beliefs rather than exposing users to different perspectives.
“In the social media age, the things you like are constantly flooded on your feed, so you’re never really hearing other opinions,” he said.
That’s why he believes books play an even more important role today.
“You can read different ideas from books, and that’s why I think it’s more important now than ever,” he said. “Social media has made us zone into our own beliefs, our own thoughts, and our own agreements, and that can be a bit worrisome.”
