It's the perfect time to reconnect with old pals like Holden Caulfield and Huckleberry Finn, because Banned Books Week kicks off this Saturday.

According to the American Library Association (ALA) Web site, this is the 26th year of Banned Books Week. The purpose of the week is to "celebrate the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular."

To celebrate the week, the Pattee and Paterno libraries will feature many exhibits this year, said Steven Herb, director of The Pennsylvania Center for the Book.

Herb said there would be a special display in the Center for the Book alcove.

"We're putting out little stuff, statements from authors and other information," Herb said. "It's important to make people aware that this is still going on in the 20th century."

Herb said the location of the exhibits is key.

"We tend to put them in places where people walk by," he said. "You see people walk by saying 'I can't believe that book I read in fourth grade is banned!' "

Thea Yaniga (senior-health policy and administration) said she usually just goes to the library to study, but would be interested to look at the exhibits.

After hearing about some children's books that have been frequently banned, Yaniga said she was really surprised.

Although this year's events are scaled down, Herb said students responded favorably to last year's exhibits.

Last year, the library featured a tower of 80 books that have been frequently banned. They also featured a program in which someone read from a different banned book every hour, Herb said.

"It's important to celebrate this week, and it's just amazing to see what's banned -- you know, Blubber, Where's Waldo," Herb said. "We believe at University Libraries in always recognizing and celebrating our right to read banned books."

The festivities will carry on downtown as well at the Schlow Centre Region Library, 118 S. Fraser St.

Schlow has featured posters, bookmarks and a banned book display since the beginning of the month, acquisitions librarian Linda Lorich said. The display draws from a list of frequently challenged books put out by the American Libraries Association.

Schlow will also feature a program on Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. called Teen Talk. All are invited to talk about frequently banned books and the reasons behind their censorship, Lorich said.

Aleshya Gupta (sophomore-pre-medicine) was familiar with Banned Books Week and said he might be interested in exploring exhibits at the libraries.

"It just depends on what's there," he said.