Capricon 38 is pleased to announce that we will be supporting the work of the Freedom to Read Foundation as this year’s charity.
The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) is a non-profit legal and educational organization that protects and defends the First Amendment to the Constitution and supports the right of libraries to collect – and individuals to access – information. Incorporated in 1969, FTRF has participated in key litigation efforts, fighting all the way to the Supreme Court to stand up to internet censorship and government surveillance. It also encourages various public events, such as support of the American Library Association’s annual Banned Books Week.
Banned Books Week, runs this year from Sept. 24- Sept. 30. The theme this year is Words have Power! Find out which books made the Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2016 and explore Top Ten talking points, infographics and social media art on the Top Ten resource page (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/NLW-Top10).
Every year books are challenged or banned from libraries across the country and around the world. Many of those titles are science fiction and fantasy classics such as Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. More recent challenged materials include the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. This series was the number one challenged book from 2000 to 2009.
“The Freedom to Read Foundation does important work supporting access to materials that some find offensive or inappropriate, but many hail as important works of literature that challenge assumptions about society or deal with issues of sexuality or identity,” said Terrence Miltner, Chair of Capricon 38. “I was surprised that so many people would have a problem with the Harry Potter books.”
Capricon 38: Expanding Universes will be held February 15-18, 2018 at the Westin North Shore in Wheeling, IL.
Capricon is a four-day science fiction convention held annually in the Chicagoland area since 1981. We celebrate the best of science fiction and fantasy, with a focus on literature. During the day, members attend programming on a variety of topics: books, movies, television, anime, space exploration, and science. There’s something for everyone including a special children’s track for our young fans and a teen lounge.
Above all, Capricon is about friends, fandom, and fun. The convention committee is made up entirely of volunteers. This year’s convention, Expanding Universes, will explore the infinite loop between the written word, film and televsion, and games and how they all inspire one another.
For more information about the Freedom to Read Foundation, go to www.ftrf.org.
For more information about Capricon, go to www.capricon.org.
