BTPM's Blind Date with a Banned Book
Schedule
Sat Mar 07 2026 at 01:15 pm to 04:15 pm
UTC-05:00Location
Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Buffalo, NY
About this Event
BTPM invites you on a Blind Date with a Banned Book!
We are teaming up with Burning Books and The Buffalo and Erie County Public Library to bring you a free, fun and thought-provoking community event for curious readers and lifelong learners alike.
Browse a hand-picked selection of banned and challenged books—each concealed in plain paper and marked only with a teaser or interesting fact. Choose a book that piques your interest, purchase it through our partnering bookseller, Burning Books, and chat with fellow book enthusiasts about what makes these stories so powerful, and sometimes controversial. Not into surprises? Unwrapped books will be on hand for anyone who wants to preview before they swipe (their card).
After your “blind date,” settle in for a special screening of The Librarians, a new film from Independent Lens that explores themes of free expression, education, and censorship. We’ll wrap up the afternoon with a panel discussion featuring local experts and enthusiasts on the subject.
Come for the books, stay for the conversation, and leave with a new story in hand.
Free parking in our private lot off Charles St. MUST REGISTER THROUGH EVENTBRITE TO ATTEND!
Accessibility matters to us. Interpreter services are available upon request—please contact us in advance to coordinate.
Credit: Courtesy of 8 Above & THE LIBRARIANS documentary, DP David Allen
Caption: Julie Miller with ALA Library Bill of Rights, featured in The Librarians
Alt text: A woman with red hair in a blue and white patterned shirt stands next to a Library Bill of Rights poster with black text and blue Roman numerals on a white background
Buffalo Toronto Public Media presents an Indie Lens Pop-Up screening of The Librarians.
About the Film: When Texas lawmakers seek to review a list of books, librarians find themselves on the frontlines of a national battle. Across the U.S., librarians face the impact of uniting against library collection standards that include restrictions on race-related and LGBTQIA+ content. Drawing on historical context, The Librarians explores the broader implications for education and public life.
Filmmakers: Kim A. Snyder (director/producer), Janique L. Robillard (producer), Maria Cuomo Cole (producer), and Jana Edelbaum (producer)
Burning Books is a radical bookstore in Buffalo, NY. They opened in September of 2009 on the anniversary of the Attica Pr*son uprising.
They focus exclusively on social justice issues and work to support individuals and movements that are struggling against oppression and domination in all its forms. They have a highly curated selection of titles dealing with activism, race, antifascism, environmentalism, colonialism, indigenisim, capitalism, feminism, queer studies, animal liberation, class, disability, and more; including books for children, middle graders, and young adults. They also carry posters, games and gift items - all following their mission of social justice and sustainability.
Where is it happening?
Buffalo Toronto Public Media, 140 Lower Terrace, Buffalo, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
