New Yorkers are invited to participate in National Library Week by participating in a quiet "Read In" in the grand lobby of Central Public Library on April 10.
The library will provide information about the dramatic rise in censorship and commonly banned books—including selections by Henry David Thoreau, Judy Blume, Maya Angelou and Maurice Sendak. Participants are then encouraged to sit and read a few pages before passing the book on to the next patron, according to a press release.
The Read In, starting at 12:00pm, is the newest facet of Brooklyn Public Library’s national Books Unbanned program. Since 2022, BPL had provided nearly 10,000 young people from all 50 states with a digital library card, providing unlimited access in the face of censorship. April 10 is Take Action for Libraries Day, an annual day of action during National Library Week. Patrons will also be able to post a note to libraries and patrons across the country experiencing censorship.
Book bans are at an all-time high. Since 2020, the American Library Association has reported a dramatic increase in book bans and the highest number of challenged titles ever documented. Attempting to erase whole groups of people, most banned books tell the stories of LGBTQ+ people and communities of color.
“This year as we mark National Library Week here in Brooklyn, we must not forget communities around the country who have witnessed the erosion of library funding and the removal of books—and along with them, the history and the stories of entire communities including people of color and those who identify as LGBQT+,” said Chief Librarian Nick Higgins.
Additional programs for National Library Week include Bleep: A Play About Censorship on April 7. Doors open at 5:30pm in the Dweck Auditorium at the Central Library; and a April 9 screening of The Hate U Give, a film adaptation of Angie Thomas’ best-selling and often banned book of the same title.
Patrons are encouraged to support the library throughout the week by participating in Browse the Branches challenge. Pick up a booklet at any BPL location. Visit a branch, collect its special sticker and place it in the corresponding entry of your booklet. Prizes are available when you fill half the booklet.
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