400 Richland Street has hit the double digits! Mark your calendars for the library building’s 10th birthday open house celebration on Saturday, November 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join us for fun activities, a special story time, treats, a sculpture dedication in the Reading Garden for long-serving Trustee Colleen Cole, and more. Watch the library’s webpage and social media pages for more information about the upcoming festivities!

It’s hard to believe that an entire decade has passed since the opening of the new location. This chapter of the library’s history has been filled with innovative programs, community events, and the addition of numerous modern resources and services for library patrons. All of us at FDL are excited to see what is on the next page of this adventure, and we hope that you will be a part of the story. Stop by to check out the party – and some new books, music, games, equipment, and other materials too!

“This is a dangerous time for readers and the public servants who provide access to reading materials. Readers, particularly students, are losing access to critical information, and librarians and teachers are under attack for doing their jobs.” – Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom

Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. For more than 40 years, the annual event has brought together the entire book community — librarians, teachers, booksellers, publishers, writers, journalists, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.

In a time of intense political polarization, library staff in every state are facing an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom ALA documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. The unparalleled number of reported book challenges in 2022 nearly doubles the 729 book challenges reported in 2021. Of the record 2,571 unique titles targeted for censorship, most were by or about LGBTQIA+ persons and Black, Indigenous, and people of color.

When we ban books, we’re closing off readers to people, places, and perspectives. But when we stand up for stories, we unleash the power that lies inside every book. We liberate the array of voices that need to be heard and the scenes that need to be seen. Let freedom read!

Fondulac District Library is a proud supporter of Banned Books Week. Let freedom read!