Idaho authors to gather at State Capitol Saturday in protest of ‘harmful materials’ bill

Event host Authors Against Book Bans and more than a dozen Idaho authors will be in attendance for Saturday’s protest of House Bill 710.

The gathering, called a “read-in,” will be held in Boise on Saturday from 2-4 p.m. on the steps of the Capitol at 700 W Jefferson St. The event will be free and open to all members of the public.

According to a press release from the Authors Against Book Bans, the event will include Idaho authors reading excerpts from their books, giveaways of “banned and challenged books” and a voter registration drive conducted by the League of Women Voters.

House Bill 710 , which went into effect on July 1, requires Idaho libraries to keep a form available allowing patrons to request that materials be moved if they are deemed harmful due to the presence of nudity or sexual content. Under the legislation, Idaho libraries that don’t honor requests to move materials within 60 days of a form’s submission are subject to a $250 fine and potentially additional damages, to be paid to the originator of the request.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their favorite book, a banned book or their current read in celebration of the “right to read freely,” the event’s Facebook page says.