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Cheery Friday Greetings,
There are several pieces for today (as usual!), so let’s get right to them!
SCRLC Awards: Nominate a Colleague or an Organization! We invite you to recognize the outstanding work of your colleagues and fellow SCRLC member organizations by submitting a nomination for one (or more!) of our annual awards!
It’s quick and easy to do: Think of a person or organization whose contributions you feel deserve recognition and fill out a brief Google Form. If you’d prefer to complete a Word document instead, Diane or Jessica will be happy to send it to you.
Deadline Extended: Monday, October 6. To give you a bit more time, we've extended the nomination deadline to Monday, October 6.
During last year’s field visits, we heard how meaningful these awards can be—they lift the spirits of individuals, teams, even entire libraries, while shining a light on their impact within their communities or institutions.
Awards will be presented at SCRLC’s Annual Business Meeting on October 24. Attendance is not required to either nominate or receive an award—but we certainly hope you’ll join us! Thank you for helping us honor and recognize excellence within our region!
Here is the link to the nomination form.
SCRLC's Annual Meeting: You're Invited! Indeed, if you're reading this, consider yourself invited to SCRLC’s 59th Annual Meeting!
This year’s event will be held at the centrally located and historic Park Church in Elmira. Our featured speaker is Talima Aaron, President of the John W. Jones Museum. Ms. Aaron will share the powerful story of John W. Jones—an African American abolitionist who escaped enslavement and helped others find freedom. She will also speak about the process and challenges of founding a museum. We hope you'll join us—registration details are below!
Banned Books Week begins on Sunday. This year’s Banned Books Week runs from October 5-11; the theme is “Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights.” The week concludes with Let Freedom Read Day on October 11. Banned Books Week reminds us how important libraries are in protecting intellectual freedom and our democracy, plus in providing access to a diversity of voices. A disproportionate number of book challenges continue to target works by Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQIA+ authors, as well as their communities, noting that there is intersectionality across these identities.
According to the American Library Association, All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Martin was the most frequently challenged book in 2024. Meanwhile, PEN America reports that the most challenged book in the 2024-2025 school year was A Clockwork Orange by Antony Burgess. In an interview with Newsweek, Stephen King said that he is the most banned author.
PEN America’s website indicates that they have “documented nearly 23,000 book bans in public schools nationwide since 2021, a number never before seen in the life of any living American.” Wow. On Thursday, ABC News mentioned PEN America’s new report on the normalization of book banning across the country--and interviewed George M. Martin.
It is also worth noting that some libraries and librarians are being criticized or targeted not for the books they offer—but for those that they do not.
In addition to curling up with a banned or challenged book, this is a great week to urge Governor Hochul to sign the Freedom to Read Act without delay (she has until December). Here is the contact form; or, call her office at 1-518-474-8390.
Yours in partnership,
Mary-Carol
Mary-Carol Lindbloom
Executive Director
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