Indigenous Submitted by Sonja Irving, Manager, Libraries and Learning Commons
Freedom to Read Week is an annual event that encourages Canadians to reflect on their commitment to intellectual freedom.This year, it will take place from February 22–28.
Intellectual freedom is the right to seek out and access information and ideas from all viewpoints without restriction. It rests on the belief that individuals can assess information and make informed decisions for themselves. In Canada, this fundamental right is protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Libraries have a core responsibility to safeguard access to diverse ideas, even when those ideas are considered unconventional or unpopular.
Each year, libraries and schools receive hundreds of requests from the public to remove books from shelves due to concerns about content or age suitability. Increasingly, these requests focus on materials related to race, sex, and gender, with challenges to books featuring LGBTQIA2S+ stories becoming particularly prevalent. Although outright book bans are not common in Canada, recent events in the United States show how quickly access to information can be restricted when intellectual freedom is not fully understood or valued. Despite First Amendment protections, many U.S. schools and public libraries are being pressured to remove books, effectively silencing voices, experiences, and histories.
To mark Freedom to Read Week, St. Lawrence College Libraries is partnering with Kingston Frontenac Public Library, Queen’s University Libraries, and the Royal Military College Library to host a special event on February 23, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. The group has rented The Screening Room to present the 2025 documentary The Librarians, which explores the fight against censorship in libraries and its impact on LGBTQIA2S+ communities.
Following the screening, attendees are invited to join a panel discussion featuring:
• CEO, Kingston Frontenac Public Library
• University Librarian, Queen’s University
• Director of Education, Limestone District School Board
• Director of Education (invited), Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board
The event is free and open to the public. Attendees will only be responsible for any concessions they choose to purchase. Approximately 100 participants are expected.
As a partner organization, SLC Libraries can reserve up to 10 tickets for faculty and staff. If you wish to attend as an official representative of SLC, please complete this form by end of day February 6, 2026. Participants will be selected at random.
For more information about banned and challenged books in Canada please see the following links:
The Canadian Library Challenges Database | Centre for Free Expression
Welcome to Freedom to Read - Freedom to Read
Freedom to Read Week: Celebrating Intellectual Freedom
