The New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Public Library on Saturday held the first-ever nationwide Freedom to Read Day of Action, a coordinated set of rallies held by almost 200 libraries in nearly all 50 states against book bans and censorship.
In a show of united support for the freedom to read, thousands of people attended rallies held in Brooklyn and New York City, and over 6,000 people signed the Freedom to Read pledge, according to a press release.
There was music and free books that were passed out at the Central Library location by Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. Special guests included Lee Rowland (Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Censorship), Eric Klinenberg (author of 2020: One City, Seven People, and the Year that Changed Everything, and Palaces for the People), performances by the Resistance Revival Chorus and Fogo Azul, interview recording by StoryCorps and a live taping of The Beautiful & Banned podcast.
“We are thrilled to have organized and celebrated the first-ever Freedom to Read Day of Action, and to have gathered and welcomed hundreds of book lovers and advocates across New York City," said Brooklyn Public Library President Linda E. Johnson, Queens Public Library President Dennis M. Walcott and The New York Public Library President Anthony W. Marx in a joint statement. "Public Libraries are a cornerstone of democracy, allowing us to exercise intellectual freedom and widen our perspectives and worldviews. As book bans continue to rise, it’s more important than ever to stand up for the freedom to read. Our action day sends a clear message: book bans have no place in the United States."
The Freedom to Read Day of Action was organized in partnership with the American Library Association (ALA) and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries
The latest data from ALA reveals the staggering rise of book bans since 2020, which has continued at pace. New data from PEN America found that book bans nearly tripled during the 2023-2024 academic year. The majority of the banned or challenged books are aimed at young people and are disproportionately written by or about people of color or people who identify as LGBTQ+.
“At a time when our nation and the world is full of division, there is one place in almost every community with a welcome for everyone,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “At the library, we can make ourselves at home with a familiar story – and we can step outside our comfort zone with a book about unfamiliar places, characters and ideas. There’s no limit to what we can learn, including how to participate in this democracy that gives us the freedom to read.”
