FIRST, SORRY ABOUT THIS NEW LOOK. MY PREVIOUS TEMPLATE WAS UNEXPECTEDLY DISCONTINUED AND, WELL, HERE WE ARE.
I STARTED THIS BLOG 5.5 YEARS AGO AND HAVE ENJOYED SHARING THE WORLD OF YOUNG ADULT BOOKS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS WITH YOU ALL. THIS WORLD HAS TAKEN A disturbing TURN SINCE I STARTED. THE FREEDOM TO READ IS UNDER ATTACK AND SHOWS NO SIGN OF SLOWING DOWN. OVERWHELMINGLY, THE MATERIALS book banners object to ARE BY OR ABOUT BIPOC OR QUEER FOLKS – the same voices i highlight. BOOKS ARE BEING REMOVED FROM SHELVES. ONLINE ACCESS IS BEING BLOCKED. LIBRARIANS AND EDUCATORS ARE BEING THREATENED AND ATTACKED, ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND IN PERSON. SADLY, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PUBLISHERS IN THIS MARKET HAS BEEN PREEMPTIVELY BOWING TO BOOK BANNERS. THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL AND IMPORTANT STORIES BEING TOLD BUT INSTEAD OF HONORING THAT WORK some people are trying to keep it hidden. WHAT DOES this SAY TO those of us WHOSE VERY EXISTENCE IS SEEN AS A THREAT? AS INAPPROPRIATE? AS SOMETHING (ONLY CERTAIN) CHILDREN NEED TO BE SHIELDED FROM? but be aware – ADULTS AREN’T SAFE. Banners are coming after their ACCESS TO MATERIALS as well.
WHAT all this SAYs TO ME IS THAT WE NEED TO FIGHT. INSTEAD OF BLOGGING, i’ll be focusing on helping to defend our freedom to read. I’M A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION’S GRAPHIC NOVELS AND COMICS ROUND TABLE. I WORK WITH OUR “PREPARING FOR AND ADDRESSING CHALLENGES” COMMITTEE. OUR WORK FOCUSES ON CHALLENGES TO COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS BUT APPLIES BROADLY. THE COMMITTEE HAS CREATED A TOOLKIT TO GIVE LIBRARY WORKERS RESOURCES FOR BEING READY BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER A CHALLENGE. WE ALSO HOSTED SERIES OF WEBINARS TIED TO THOSE TOPICS. ALL OF OUR RESOURCES ARE FREE AND AVAILABLE TO ANYONE.
CLEARLY WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO. PRO-CENSORSHIP ORGANIZATIONS CONTINUE THEIR MARCH ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NOT JUST IN STATES LIKE FLORIDA AND TEXAS BUT ALSO IN “BLUE” STATES INCLUDING MASSACHUSETTS AND CALIFORNIA. (I’m not linking to their sites!) i live in a blue county in a blue state; the banners have established committees here and in all the surrounding counties. no matter where we live we need to be aware!
so what can you do? use your library. vote in local elections to keep pro-censorship candidates out of positions of influence. attend library board meetings. if you see it happening, SPEAK UP.
thanks everyone for riding with me all this time. be well and read freely!!
Books I Can't Shut Up About 