Another Day, another article about libraries being forced to remove books. Recently it was Missouri libraries removing 20 books for fear that the librarians would be fined or might go to jail for allowing people to read.
That sickens me. But what sickens me more so is the need for the leaders of the American Library Association to write a letter to the FBI last week due to the increased violence and threats against librarians and libraries. REALLY!!! People are attacking libraries and librarians.
The article by Meghan Mangrum of the Dallas Morning News, says that the association was concerned about library workers receiving personal threats.
My relationships with librarians have always been positive. When my son was in middle school, I volunteered at the school library once a week for a year to restock books. It was the librarian who helped me encourage my son to read. She reminded me that reading any book was better than not reading. And that my son loved manga. “Let him read as many as he wants,” she told me. “He is excited about reading.” She was so right!!
The attacks against books and libraries are additional evidence of how those in our country are so afraid of facts, that they are rebelling against books. When my children were young, I could not wait for the annual summer reading program to sign my children up to read. I added prizes to the reading list. Every five books my children got a treat. Anything to inspire the love of books, reading and libraries.
With adults so afraid to let children read, it makes me think about my history. My parents banned one book when I was in high school. They felt the sexual content (which now would be considered mild) was too much for a high school senior. I was not allowed to read it. Believe me the first book I read when I got to college was that book! My parents even laughed about it. Why ban it?
With the current banning, I was so happy to see that the Brooklyn Public Library opened their online books to young adults throughout the country who want to read banned books! I was so proud of them. When I was in New York in September, visiting my niece who lives in Brooklyn, we added a walk to the Brooklyn Public Library to our plans!!! I wanted to celebrate it!
The Brooklyn Public Library has been around in some form since the mid 1800s. It’s main campus, which I visited is at the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Eastern Parkway near Prospect Park. But what makes is so wonderful for me, and why I had to visit it, is the National Teen BPL eCard, that allows young adults ages 13-21, to get a free Brooklyn Public Library card which allows them to borrow books for free, including books that have been banned in other states!
To apply, email booksunbanned@bklynlibrary.org.
To learn more about the efforts to ban books in schools, I would recommend you go to PEN America’s website: http://www.Pen.org. There is much to read about the increase in attempts to ban books in our public schools in the past two years, with many of the books attacked focus on racism, gender issues, history and sexuality.
zicharonot 