“Reading can be a road to freedom or a key to a secret garden, which, if tended, will transform all of life.”
– Katherine Paterson
In conjunction with the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week, we’re celebrating the Freedom to Read this September 22-28. This annual event celebrates our shared freedom to choose and read books for our own interests, and highlights the importance of free and open access to information for all people in every community.
At Stark Library, we are committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere for all people. We recognize that each person is complex with a unique set of characteristics and identities, and we continue to build and nurture an inclusive environment that represents, supports, values, and celebrates the communities we serve. Banned Books Week offers a great opportunity to recognize 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.
That’s right! This week we celebrate you, our community of readers, and we celebrate the books that help nourish you, your family, and your community. Books are essential to the development of self-expression, imagination, and identity, and we encourage you to keep reading and discovering, knowing that you are free to read for learning or entertainment, for comfort or for a new challenge, and free to begin any journey you choose within the pages of a book.
For more information about Banned Books Week, the American Library Association, opens a new window is a great place to start, and check out our Freed Between the Lines booklist, opens a new window.
― Article by Megan Villono, Library Collections Director
