Date/Time
Date(s) - 08/29/2026
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location
Parkway Central Library
Categories
Catch the final days of the stimulating “Book Complaints and the Defense of Intellectual Freedom” at the Parkway Central Library. The exhibit spotlights controversial books that were challenged, debated, and, in some cases, almost banned from library shelves. Examined are pressing age-old questions of what should be read, who decides, and why it matters. The show looks at original “book complaint” files: letters, reviews, and internal discussions that show how librarians have responded to heavily scrutinized books like Tropic of Cancer. Book Complaints uncovers how Philadelphia’s public libraries have handled pressure to remove books while balancing the pursuit of intellectual freedom. The exhibit comprises the Free Library’s archives and collections.
Free, Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST. Parkway Central Library / Dietrich Gallery (3rd Fl.), 1901 Vine St. 833-825-5357 or https://libwww.freelibrary.org/blog/post/5632