In a new initiative to protect “intellectual freedom,” the Toronto Public Library (TPL) has created a Book Sancturary Collection comprised of 50 books that have been challenged, censored or removed from libraries and schools across North America.

This announcement comes in honour of Freedom to Read Week. 

“It takes place every February at about the same time you raid Shoppers for deep-discount chocolate after Valentine’s,” TPL said on Reddit.

The collection includes adult, teen and children’s books which are available for borrowing in branches or online. 

“Toronto Public Library is committed to protecting and defending intellectual freedom across our collections, programs and spaces,” TPL said on its website. “Libraries are facing increasing intellectual freedom challenges on a wide range of issues, not just with physical materials like books and movies, but also with programs, e-content, Internet access, room bookings and exhibits.”

The collection includes books with LGBTQ+ content, racial themes, portrayals of violence, sexual abuse and more. 

A permanent Book Sanctuary Reference Collection is available on the fourth floor of the Toronto Reference Library.