Banned Books Week Internet Read-Out 2013

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOOKSELLERS

Overview

Banned Books Week 2013 (Sept. 22-28) will feature an Internet read-out from banned and challenged books. Individuals, bookstores, libraries and others are invited to upload videos to a special channel on YouTube beginning Sept. 12. Book excerpts should be no longer than three minutes. In addition to readings, we are accepting videos of three to five minutes in which participants explain why a banned book is important to them. People who have been involved in fighting challenges are invited to discuss their experience in videos of up to five minutes.

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), the bookseller’s voice in the fight against censorship, has prepared the following instructions to facilitate participation in the read-out by booksellers and their customers. There is also an ABFFE video that provides an overview of the process of creating and uploading a reading.

Sources of Information About Banned Books

Many different lists of banned books are available on the Internet. The American Library Association offers several lists, including banned classics and the most challenged books in 2013. A list of challenged books that features newer titles can be found on Above the Treeline. The Kids' Right to Read Project reports recent challenges.

Video Equipment

We recommend the use of an MP4 video camera that can record using a resolution of 720p or 1080p. Many inexpensive cameras like the Flip, Sony Bloggie and Coby CAM 3001 and many smartphones will work. Choose a frame size of 16:9. The audio file format can be 48K, MP3 or ACC. It is suggested that you use a tripod to steady the camera. These are sold for as little as $15.

Create the Video

Creating the video is as simple as pointing the camera and pressing a button. However, before you begin, you should ask the reader to sign a release giving you the right to use the video. If the reader is a minor, a parent will have to sign. A release form is included at the end of these instructions.

There are several things you can do to ensure the best video. The biggest challenge is sound. Inexpensive cameras and smartphones have small microphones that have trouble picking up sound from far away. Whenever possible, record the video in a quiet corner of the bookstore. Place the camera within several feet of the subject. Make sure the reader is well lit. (Lighting equipment is not necessary.) Here is a sample video shot at Vintage Books in Vancouver, Washington.

We recommend that videos shot in bookstores begin with a brief introduction: "Hi! My name is _________________; I’m at [bookstore]in [city, state] and I am reading a passage from [title] by [author]. It was challenged because….” This information will allow us to tag the video so that it will be easy for you to find it on YouTube.

Uploading the Video

After you film a video, you will need to transfer it to your computer. Create a folder on your computer, e.g. "BBW videos.” Then connect your camera to the computer. Cameras are equipped with USB connections that you attach with a cable to any of your computer’s USB ports. Your computer will then ask you whether to download the videos. Select the folder that you have created and download the videos.

Once the videos are on your computer, it is important to replace the name assigned to each video by the camera with a name that will be useful in finding the video once it has been uploaded to YouTube. We recommend including the title of the book with the recording date, e.g. "Catcherintherye_08311.mp4.”

When your files are renamed, upload them to ABFFE’s YouTube account. Request the user name and password for the ABFFE account by sending an e-mail to . Then log in on the YouTube home page, http://www.youtube.com. (If you have your own YouTube account, it is not necessary to upload the files again. However, you must notify ABFFE if you want the videos linked to the main Banned Books Week website.)

Once you have logged in, click on the "Upload” link in the upper right hand corner of the page. On the next page click on the yellow "Upload Video” button. The file on your computer containing the video will open. Select the video, and it will begin to upload. (If your folder does not open, locate it and either click on the video or drag it onto the upload page.) After uploading, you will be given an opportunity to add a title, description and "tags” identifying key information about the video. At a minimum, you should include the name and location of your bookstore as tags.

ABFFE will review the videos to ensure they are properly formatted and tagged and then link them to the main YouTube channel for the Internet read-out, http://www.youtube.com/bannedbooksweek

Sharing Your Videos Online 

There are a variety of ways to share your videos online. YouTube makes it easy to email links, post them on your Facebook page and send them on your Twitter account. It also provides instructions for embedding a video player so that people can watch the videos on your website. If you have your own YouTube channel, you can also link to your videos there.

Release Form for Banned Books Week 2013 Read-out 

Click here for the release form.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please send them to Chris Finan, , or call (212) 587-4025, ext. 4.

Thank you for supporting Banned Books Week!

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