The following is a press release issued by the Mendocino County Library:
Mendocino County Library invites the community to celebrate the freedom to read this September. Since 1982 Banned Books Week has united librarians, teachers, authors, publishers, and the community to defend the freedom to read and unfettered access to information. The right to read is a shared value, and the unprecedented increase in calls to ban books threatens those rights and freedoms.
The number of unique titles targeted by challenges in 2023 was 65% higher at 4240 titles than in 2022 at 2571 titles. Book challenges threaten the American education system and our youth by depriving them of the ability to see themselves represented in library materials and educational curriculums. Data proves that when children have access to recreational and educational materials in which they are represented they are more likely to succeed in school, thrive in their community, and have more empathy for others.
“We all have the right to read. Mendocino County’s librarians work hard to maintain a collection that represents everyone in our communities,” stated County Librarian Mellisa Hannum. “Reading is critical to exercising our democratic freedoms. Books are also important for teaching kids and teens how to process complex issues, learn about how others see the world, and help them to feel less alone.”
Banned Books Week is a celebration of our right to read and of open access to educational and recreational reading materials as well as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by literature and other published works. Banned Books Week gives everyone a chance to reflect on and raise their voice in support of the importance of free expression and diverse voices in our libraries, schools, and institutions.
For more information, please view www.mendolibrary.org or contact the Mendocino County Library at 234-2873.
