TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — Wednesday, the Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society held a banned book reading event where a multitude of students showed up to either listen or speak about their favorite banned books.

“We are holding the banned book reading to kind of commemorate the Banned Books Week that the American Library Association holds,” explained Dr. Anna Orlofsky. “We hold these readings for students and faculty to come to share passages from banned books that they think are very significant and special and that mean a lot to them.”

Proponents of book banning reference topics of self-harm, religious and political viewpoints and racism, and believe media with related topics do not belong in libraries where younger audiences can access them.

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However, opponents of book banning argue that banning books defies freedom of speech.

Despite the controversy that surrounds book banning, Wednesday’s event aimed to not debate the topic, but rather raise awareness about it.

“When we bring awareness for what books are being banned a lot of these books are books that you read on your own time like “The Hunger Games,” like “Harry Potter,” said Sigma Tau Delta President Haley Alcathie. “These are books that you read as children but a lot of them are books that you read in school. I think that when you raise awareness about it then more people are like wait this is something that I should I should look into and I should be informed about.”