Censorship is so 1984!

On October 8, more than 500 community members came together in downtown Redwood City for an unforgettable evening of drinks, small bites, and spirited conversation. At each stop on the Upscale Pub Crawl, Library Foundation representatives shared powerful facts about book bans and censorship, connecting the fun with a cause that matters.

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This year’s theme, Censorship is so 1984!, drew inspiration from George Orwell’s classic cautionary tale about the dangers of suppressing ideas. Colorful posters displayed at the pubs highlighted 17 frequently challenged books, underscoring the urgency of the issue: in 2024 alone, 2,452 titles were challenged—ten times the annual average before 2020. In the 2023–24 school year, more than 10,000 books were banned from U.S. public schools and academic libraries.

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A huge thank you to the 15 pubs, 50 volunteers, and 30 sponsors who helped make the night possible, and to everyone who joined us. Together, we raised more than 45,000 to support and protect vital Library initiatives.