Red Deer Public Library marks Freedom to Read Week with banned-books club meeting.

Red Deer Public Library's banned-books book club will discuss Snow Falling on Cedars on Feb. 25 during Freedom to Read Week, which runs Feb. 22–28.

Red Deer Public Library has launched a new book club focused on banned books and timed its next meeting to coincide with Freedom to Read Week. The Read or Reread Book Club: Banned Books Edition will discuss Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson on Feb. 25 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Timberstone branch. Recent and upcoming selections include Of Mice and Men and Animal Farm on March 25. Library CEO Shelley Ross said the freedom to read is a foundational belief for libraries and Canadians. Key details: - The club meets Feb. 25, 7 to 8 p.m., at the Timberstone branch to discuss Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson. - The club previously covered Of Mice and Men and will discuss Animal Farm on March 25. - Freedom to Read Week runs Feb. 22 to 28 and is led by a partnership including the Canadian Urban Libraries Council, Library and Archives Canada, the Ontario Library Association and the Book and Periodical Council. - The week was founded in 1984 to raise awareness of censorship and to encourage defence of the right to publish, read and write freely. - Library CEO Shelley Ross said attempts to ban books often increase demand and that public libraries support people’s ability to explore their curiosities. Summary: The library’s banned-books book club meeting aligns with Freedom to Read Week and highlights ongoing conversations about access to literature. Upcoming sessions and curated book lists available from the library are scheduled, and the broader week aims to prompt reflection on challenges to reading freedoms.