A young man with tattoos and a backward cap is focused on reading a book at a table in a lively study environment. In the background, a group of people is engaged in conversation.

Help us celebrate the fundamental freedom to read for Banned Books Week, October 4-10, 2026! “Free to Read” is a campus-wide celebration of the freedom to read featuring events and activities hosted by departments and programs across Fresno State. Throughout the week, our campus community is invited to explore the importance of intellectual freedom—the principle that everyone should be able to seek out, access, and engage with a wide range of ideas and perspectives, whether in the classroom, in the library, or in their personal reading.

Sponsored by the Fresno State Library and the Student Success and Belonging Center, “Free to Read” offers opportunities throughout the week to learn, reflect, connect, and celebrate the freedom to choose what we read.

For more information or to arrange special accommodation, please contact Ginny Barnes, (gbarnes@mail.fresnostate.edu). 

Schedule of Events

A young woman reading a book while walking in a park, with another person in the background holding a beverage and appearing to look at her.

Monday, October 5th

Silent Book Club

Host: Human Resources Organizational Development
12:00 – 1:00pm
Library 2124 Philip Levine Reading Room, 2nd Floor North

Bring a book. Find your people. Read alone, together! For the first 40 minutes, we settle in and read our own books together. During the final 20 minutes, we chat about what we’re reading, exchange recommendations and talk books, or you can simply listen if you’d rather not share.

Tuesday, October 6

[BANNED] Stories, [CENSORED] Lives: A panel on harm and resiliency in queer erasure

Host: Library
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Library Table Mountain Rancheria Reading Room, 3rd Floor North

How do minority communities respond and adapt when society and laws prohibit them from telling their stories?  Find out during this Free to Read/Banned Books Week session featuring panel presentations and discussion about resilience in the LGBTQ+ community in the face of censorship.  The session will provide a brief historical background about book banning and redaction of queer stories in the United States; presentations by panelists and women, gender and sexuality department professors, Dion Foster, Dr. Marie Lerma, and Dr. Gloria Negrete-Lopez; and conclude with a simultaneous discussion and zine making activity.

Pride for All! Storytime with The Diva Dollz and The Sociology Department at Fresno State

Host: Library, Department of Sociology, The Diva Dollz
Sponsors: LGBTQ+ Allies, Department of Sociology
6:00pm – 7:00pm
Library Table Mountain Rancheria Reading Room, 3rd Floor North

Storytime is a celebration of visibility, belonging, and imagination—a reminder that every young person deserves to find themselves not only in books, but welcomed and valued in the world. Diva Dollz story time shines a bright, unapologetic light on books that affirm and celebrate LGBTQIA2S+ youth–and they are coming to Fresno State! All are invited to this public reading where we remind everyone: You belong. You matter. Your story has worth.

A young man sitting on a bench, reading a book with a blue cover, in an outdoor setting with blurred pedestrians in the background.

Wednesday, October 7th 

What about the First Amendment? A Banned Books, Free Speech, and Civil Discourse Panel Discussion

Host: Department of Political Science
12:00pm – 1:00pm
Library 3212, 3nd Floor South

The First Amendment guarantees free speech, including the written word, but as is the case with most civil liberties, there are limitations to free speech. This panel will examine the legality of book bans and where courts draw the line. Panelists will discuss the current and historical trends in book bans and book challenges, previous legal disputes and court decisions about book bans, and examine civil (and uncivil) discourse around the topic.

Panelists:  Arantes M. Armendariz, Fresno State Librarian/Researcher; Leila Alamri-Kassim, Attorney, Lecturer – San Joaquin College of Law & Fresno State; Dr. Josephine Hazelton-Boyle, Assistant Professor of Public Administration, Fresno State

Moderator: Dr. Lisa Bryant, Professor, Fresno State Political Science

The Next Chapter: A Literary Friendship Mixer for Student Writers & Readers

Host: Student Success and Belonging Center
2:30 – 4:30pm
Library 2206, 2nd Floor North

Join Rainbow Hangouts (LGBTQ2+ Student Support) and Sistah to Sistah (African American Student Support) for a student-facilitated Friendship Mixer celebrating the freedom to read and connect during Banned Books Week. Meet new friends through fun activities and conversation prompts exploring banned books, their themes and representation, and what it means to feel seen and heard. Open to all Fresno State students who value curiosity, openness, and connection. Come as you are, bring an open mind, and help create a welcoming space for everyone. RSVP https://bit.ly/tnc-mixer

A woman holding the children's book 'Together' smiles while reading to a group of children sitting in front of her, with a library filled with books in the background.

Thursday, October 8th

The Book Was Banned… So We Read It! This Place 150 Years Retold, book discussion

Host: Student Success and Belonging Center
11:00 – 12:00pm
Library 2206, 2nd Floor North

Join our “Podcast” as we explore the past 150 years through the eyes of Indigenous creators in this groundbreaking graphic novel anthology. Hosted by Student Success and Belonging, American Indian and Asian Pacific Islander, Desi American Programs and Services.

Free to Read Fest

Host: Library
11:00am – 2:00pm
Speaker’s Platform

Celebrate the joy of reading and power of LGBTQ+ BIPOC stories with the Fresno State Library and our campus reading community. This resource fair will feature loads of free books, community resources, a live DJ set, and a book themed cosplay contest! Come dressed as your favorite book character for a chance to win Banned Books Week swag and a gift card from Judging by the Cover Bookstore!

A young man sitting against a concrete pillar, reading a book, with colorful autumn foliage in the background.

Friday, October 9th 

CineCulture: Free for All, film screening and panel discussion

Host: CineCulture, Library
5:30 pm
Peters Educational Center Auditorium (in Student Recreation Center)

A beloved American institution, the public library’s founding principle is simple: build a place where anyone can enter, free of charge, and encounter a universe of ideas. Co-directed by Lucie Faulknor and Dawn Logsdon, Free For All: The Public Library chronicles the fascinating evolution of the American public library’s trajectory, from the original “Free Library Movement” from the late 19th century to the present, when many libraries find themselves caught in the crosshairs of the culture wars and struggling to survive amid budget cuts and closures. This documentary is especially timely for the Fresno County community where some county supervisors consider transitioning the management of the county library to a private organization.  85 minutes. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD45tDYf6qU

Discussants: Dr. Hazelton-Boyle (Public Administration Professor), and Ginny Barnes (Fresno State Librarian)