✨Happy New Year! ✨
Announcements
The Library will be closed on Monday, January 19th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
It’s that time of year again when we talk about that word people either love or loathe: SNOW! In the event that we have to close due to inclement weather, we will post on Facebook as well as the local news channels. Don’t forget—we have LL Bean snowshoes to lend out.
Upcoming Program
Author Talk With Peter D. Brown on Friday, January 16th @1:00 pm at Goodall Library. We are partnering with Goodall to bring you the author of I am Jayvyn. More than 15 million Africans became victims of the transatlantic slave trade. How many perished before ever reaching the ships, as well as the numbers lost over many generations of enslavement in North America? This is the story of one.
Our display for this month will celebrate Black voices. Come check out some fabulous books by Black authors.
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” -Ida B. Wells
From the Director
We live in precarious times. Book banning has risen over 200% since 2023, with most challenges driven by organized national pressure groups. On Saturday, January 31st at 1:00 pm, we’ll be screening the PBS Indie Lens film, The Librarians, which follows school librarians confronting censorship from Texas to Florida. Afterward, Shawn Sullivan will moderate a community conversation with Zach Heiden from the ACLU and myself.
What many people don't know is that these challenges rarely come from local families. Many stem from organized national campaigns that submit long lists of titles, sometimes without reading them, based on keywords or online talking points. This has created an environment where educators and librarians are harassed simply for providing access to information.
In moments like this, it’s worth remembering what public libraries do. We don’t promote one worldview or decide what is morally acceptable. Our mission is to serve everyone, offering materials that reflect a wide range of experiences, identities, and beliefs. Parents and caregivers guide what their own children read. What we cannot do is allow one group’s preferences to restrict access for all families.
As we gather for this screening and important conversation, I hope it reminds us why libraries matter: we remain one of the few public spaces where people can explore ideas freely, safely, and without judgment.
Lesley
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