The central strategy of Freedom to Read Week concerns public advocacy events. These events might include readings, displays, dramatisations of banned materials, video showings, essay contests, panel discussions, and the like. Citizens are asked to participate in the effort by organising events and engaging in advocacy endeavours in their own communities. The Freedom to Read Week site provides suggestions and offers updates on upcoming events. For instance, citizens are urged to encourage their municipal council or provincial government to proclaim Freedom to Read Week or to declare their community a Freedom to Read Zone. To cite just one example, during the 2003 programme, a 24 Hour Reading Marathon was held at a bookstore/coffeehouse in Winnipeg. Readers were encouraged to select works from authors who live in nations that actively suppress freedom of expression, or passages from materials on the current Challenged Books List.

The latter list is part of the Freedom to Read Kit, which is updated each year and is intended for year-round use. The kit consists of material based on current controversial issues related to intellectual freedom, as well as appendices that provide basic information. The articles, activities, and suggestions contained in the kit are designed to inform and assist booksellers, librarians, students, educators, and the community at large. Citizens are urged to use the clip-art, posters, and other materials to inform others about the issue of intellectual freedom and censorship.

Rights, Censorship.

According to organisers, the free exchange of ideas and information is threatened by pressures from government officials and special interest groups who seek to ban books and magazines from public schools, public libraries, newsstands, and bookstores.

For information on ordering the Freedom to Read Kit or the poster, please click here.