On February 4th, a group of students hosted an event centering around raising awareness for banned books. Book bans are on the rise, with censorship challenges increasing not just in the United States but worldwide. According to the American Library Association, there were 414 attempts to censor library materials and services, these affect the public’s right to information and challenge your First Amendment rights. Libraries are known for books but are so much more; they host community events, offer services that communities desperately need, and are constantly challenged by funding issues, and book bans, and, while everyone likes libraries, no one seems to care. These challenges directly impact the everyday people who depend on libraries for resources and support.
The student group, EveryLibraryRI, wanted to send the message simply that libraries are the living rooms of communities. They had set up a couch, side tables, and a fireplace to help students understand that they were there to help keep books on the shelf and out of the fireplace. Their event also showed many books that students were surprised were banned. Many of our childhood classics, like Where the Wild Things Are or The Giving Tree, are frequently banned in libraries across the US, as are books like The Hate You Give, The Hunger Games, and The Wizard of Oz. When people think about banned books, they think of titles like To Kill a Mockingbird or The Catcher in the Rye, but book bans go much further than that.
Banned books can be banned for anything. It could be Harry Potter, for the use of magic as anti-religious. Or Worm Loves Worm, a book about two worms who fall in love and try to get married, “for references to LGBTQIA+ themes”. In some states, laws have been passed that could imprison school and public librarians for up to six years or fine them $10,000 simply for distributing books deemed ‘obscene’ or ‘harmful.’Their stand is not just about books—it’s about protecting free expression, community access to knowledge, and the future of libraries as we know them.
The students doing this are part of a much bigger effort in joint with EveryLibrary and the EveryLibrary Institute. They are part of a national public awareness campaign to help fight for local libraries. They are competing with students all over the United States in an academic competition for public relations. These students will be hosting events all over the state of Rhode Island to bring the different communities together to rally support for our public libraries, their funding, and against book bans. As censorship efforts grow, these students are taking a stand to defend the right to read.
