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Heroes

What you should know about Banned Books Week, according to librarians

"Acts of censorship of any kind weaken our democracy."

Photo credit: Canva

Banned Books Weeks runs from Sept 22-28

It’s not every day that we think of librarians as heroes for democracy. But as they continue to show up on the frontlines against books bans—often at the risk of their own professional livelihood—the label is well earned.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise how passionately librarians are fighting to protect the free flow of information. They are, after all, natural “helpers in society,” says Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Association (ALA), and a librarian herself for the past decade.

Hohl has seen firsthand how librarians have been essential advocates for literacy, access to accurate information and (especially now) anti-censorship. But those who have spoken up against book bans often get falsely accused of wrongdoing, which Hohl says is “harmful” for all Americans.

Photo courtesy of Cindy Hohl

“Americans have fought for and enjoy many freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the First Amendment is for everyone, from children to adults,” she told Upworthy. “It is not appropriate for anyone to tell anyone else what they should read, watch, listen to, or even believe. We can trust our neighbors to make informed decisions for themselves and acts of censorship of any kind weaken our democracy. We are empowered to seek out accurate information and make decisions for ourselves and our families, but not for anyone else.”

Besides censorship violating a fundamental American right, Hohl notes that it only serves as a “dehumanizing distraction.”

“The U.S. Government already has a lot to regulate…We don’t need distractions when everyone has a right to hear the truth. Censorship is causing a division among us and that behavior needs to stop. No voices should be silenced in America.”

And it’s with this emboldened sentiment that the librarians of the ALA are looking to celebrate Banned Books Week, running from Sept 22-28.

Banned Books Week was originally launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. The annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas.

However, with this year’s staggeringly high number of banned books—a large amount being LGBTQ titles—there is less cause for celebration, and more for urgent action. That’s why the ALA is spreading the word on what folks can do to keep books on the shelves.

First and foremost, they are urging people to join in on Freedom to Read Day on Oct 19th, when libraries, bookstores, readers, and other partners nationwide will be hosting rallies and community events to unite against book bans and demonstrate shared commitment to this fundamental freedom. Get information about a nearby event , or to host your own, here.

Second, you can share “book résumés,” which detail each title’s significance and educational value with administrators, book review committees, elected officials, and board members. Those can be found here.

And last, but certainly not least, Hohl urges everyone to support your local library and staff. Quite simply because “we need recognition of our good work.” Now, more than ever, that statement seems to ring true.

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Pop Culture

Librarian praises the 'power of the library' after encounter saves homeless patron's life

We all need somewhere safe to go.

@mychal3ts/TikTok

This is "the power of the library"

Editor's Note: This story discusses suicide. If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.


Libraries aren’t just a place to score free books. For many, they provide safe refuge.

This secondary offering has lately been overshadowed by political controversy, as there has been a laser focus from conservatives on the types of literature libraries provide, especially titles that pertain to LGBTQ and racial topics.

But one librarian’s retelling of a life saving encounter reminds us of how essential these community spaces really are—and it has nothing to do with books at all.

Mychel Threets, who works at the Solano County Library in Northern California, has an entire Instagram and TikTok account dedicated to library life.

While his videos are quite often book reviews and tips, he also has plenty of his own inspiring stories involving patron interactions that show how libraries can be catalysts for human kindness.

Like this one:

@mychal3ts The library is where you belong, where you’ll ALWAYS belong 💚✨ #booktok #librarytiktok #storytime ♬ original sound - mychal

Recently Threets had been going about his regular chores, when he saw a patron who appeared to be homeless. Threets had greeted this person like he would anyone else, but, as many unhoused individuals are met with hostility, this person assumed Threets was trying to shoo him away.

"They start grabbing their bag, saying, I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'll go, okay," Threets said. After Threets assured the person that "I want you to be here in the library," and asked if they were okay, the patron replied "my brain hurts.”

Threets considered this statement as "an incredibly interesting way to say that you're struggling with your mental health."

As Threets continued to listen, the persons went on to say that a few days prior they had wanted to “unalive themselves” and “didn’t think anybody cared.” But because Threets and the rest of the Solano Library staff were kind to them, their feelings had changed.

Threets noted with enthusiasm that this exchange perfectly captured "the power of the library, of connection, of interrupting someone's day with a simple greeting, with saying hi."

Threets has even learned that this person had come to the library every week as a kid, and clearly still found the space to be a safe haven.

"That is a grown-up library kid who needs help, who needs someone to tell them that they belong,” he said. “I’m so proud that my library people made them feel welcome.”

Third spaces—that is, places to gather that aren’t work or home, like cafes, gyms, parks, malls, etc.—are already dwindling in America. The ones that do remain aren’t always free, and certainly are not always welcoming to everyone.

Libraries, however, are a third space that meet this criteria, and it’s partially why Americans continue to value the role public libraries play in their community. In a time when underfunding and culture wars threaten these vital spaces, it’s important to remember the true service they provide.

As Threets eloquently put it. "That's all that we're trying to do in this world together is exist.... Come to the library where you belong."

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Education

100-year-old woman's speech against book bans in Florida school district goes viral

Grace Linn speaks for millions of Americans.

Jodi Picoult/TikTok

Grace Linn, 100, speaks at a Martin County School Board meeting on March 21, 2023.

Four hundred years ago, copies of William Tyndale’s English translation of the Bible were publicly burned by the bishop of London, with church authorities insisting that the Bible should only be read in Latin (and only by the clergy). In the centuries since, many books we now consider classics such as Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe," Jack London's "Call of the Wild," Walt Whitman’s "Leaves of Grass," Victor Hugo’s "Les Misérables, Charles Darwin’s "Origin of Species"—even Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" and "Benjamin Bunny"—have been banned or censored in one way or another in various countries.

Battles over books are nothing new, but once in a while, they become particularly ugly or absurd, prompting people to speak out against book bans.

People like 100-year-old Florida resident, Grace Linn, whose speech at a Martin County School Board meeting has gone viral.

Author Jody Picoult, whose books have been in the crosshairs of the school district's book policy that saw 92 titles pulled from shelves for removal or review, shared the video to her TikTok channel where it's gotten a wave of supportive responses.

"I am Grace Linn. I am 100 years young," the centenarian began. "I'm here to protest our schools' district book-banning policy."

Linn explained that her husband, Robert Nickel, was killed in action in World War II at age 26.


"One of the freedoms that the Nazis crushed was the freedom to read the books they'd banned," she said. "They stopped the free press, banned and burned books." She went on to say that the right to read is an essential right guaranteed by the First Amendment, yet it is continually under attack "by both public and private groups who think they hold the truth."

Linn shared that she made a quilt last year, at age 99, in response to the book bans taking place around the country and in Martin County. Each quilt square shows a stack of books with titles of books that have been banned and targeted, including "Harry Potter," "A Wrinkle in Time," "Of Mice and Men," "Beloved" and more. The quilt's purpose, she said, was "to remind all of us that these few of so many more books that are banned and targeted need to be proudly displayed and protected—and read, if you choose to."

Linn said that burning books and banning books is done for the same reason: fear of knowledge.

"Fear is not freedom. Fear is not liberty. Fear is control. My husband died as a father of freedom. I am a mother of liberty."

Watch:

@jodipicoultbooks

I am so inspired by everyone who spoke up against book bánning at the Martin County School Board meeting today, including Grace Linn. Grace is, in her words, “100 years young.” She spoke about witnessing the rise of fascism during WWII, about losing her husband to the war when he was 26, and about protecting our freedom to read. Thank you, Grace, for reminding us that this is a part of history we must not repeat.

People loved Linn's passionate defense of the freedom to read books, calling her an "inspiration," a "hero" and a "helluva woman" in the comments.

Naturally, different people have different opinions about what books are appropriate for different ages, what should be required vs. voluntary reading and what kids should be shielded from. That's the whole point. Librarians have long been trusted to curate generally age-appropriate material for children's libraries and parents have always had the final say in what they allow their children to read, but laws such as the one passed in Florida are attempting to exert more control over what books are available. Not helping matters is that the law is vague and there has been a great deal of confusion as to whether educators could face felony charges for having offending material in their classrooms. Especially when offending material includes anything considered "critical race theory," which could theoretically include any books that talk about racism in American history realistically.

Banning books requires setting subjective criteria for problematic material, and as we've seen with many of the book-banning policies, that criteria can easily stretch into ridiculousness. Who decides and by what measure are the questions that book bans leave on the table. Thank you, Grace Linn, for standing up for the freedom to decide for ourselves what we and our kids get to read.

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