"Banned Book Week" begins at Alabama libraries

GADSDEN, Ala. (AP) — Hundreds of books that were pulled from library shelves will be available once again for "Banned Books Week." Banned books at the Gadsden Public Library will be taken from behind yellow caution tape and will be available to bookworms beginning Monday. Library Director Amanda Jackson told the Gadsden Times she was a bit disappointed there wasn't more of a community response to books including "Harry Potter," ''The Hunger Games," The Color Purple," and "To Kill a Mockingbird," being pulled from the shelves. Gadsden State University library director Dusty Folds says 400 books — including "The Diary of Anne Frank" — were removed from the school's shelves, but could be checked out by visitors who were asked to give reasons why they wanted them.