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Hug your local librarian [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-01-28

Yesterday I went by my local library and gave my local librarian a hug. She really needed it! And then I told her I was with her!

There are lots that regular folks can and should do to support libraries and librarians!

Libraries are the heart and soul of our Democracy. The provide equal access to educational materials. They sponsor programs that improve the quality of life of residents in all ages and stages of life, programs like crafting circles and forums on composting and gardening and drag queen story hours. They provide free internet access and a place to hang out to people who don’t have a place to go or in many cases even a place to live.

And libraries and librarians are on the front lines of the fight to keep the First Amendment alive and well! But don’t take it from me. This is from a 2023 editorial in American Libraries magazine, written by American Library Association President Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada.

Traveling the world on behalf of ALA, I have seen library workers stand up against all that runs counter to our professional core values. I have seen them uphold democracy and social responsibility in the face of hatred and attempts to silence voices. I have heard stories about libraries increasing security for storytimes and programs—merely to ensure that attendees can see themselves represented in library programs and have a safe space. [snip] I know that library workers of all types take seriously the fundamental mission to enhance and provide access to information for all. We understand that at our very core, we are an equity-based profession—one that might not exist if someone were to suggest it today. Libraries are a space where individuals are encouraged to come as they are, tap into and expand their identities, and become full members of our society. We are resisters at our core. We protect all our patrons, uphold intellectual freedom, and serve our communities. Yes, the wins we see every day are a reward, but knowing that we have resisted for yet another day and continue to provide that safe space is a reward in and of itself for me, and I hope for all of you as well.

So hug your local librarian! And offer to support the libraries! What can you do?

Democrats in our state legislature have proposed a “Don’t Ban Library Books” law. If your state isn’t doing something similar, you could call a responsive legislator or the state Democratic legislative coordinator and propose they do the same.

Offer to sponsor or host a program at the library. As this is a year ending in the number 5, you could help facilitate a book group/film series about the Revolutionary War or the Civil War. Maybe a local historian could be engaged to help provide context.

Also this is an anniversary of the end of WWII. This provides an opportunity to host programs related to that war. There are a host of amazing possibilities for that.

We are approaching the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Programs centered around the American Revolution are in order. It could involve a book like “1776” by David McCullough, or a showing of the film version of “Hamilton.” You might even secure the rights for a staged reading of the musical Hamilton.

And it’s never a bad time to have programs about the Gilded Age and the Great Depression. The TV show “Gilded Age” has sparked a renewal of interest in that era. While the show gamorizes and sugar coats the behavior of the ultra rich, there are plenty of counter narratives to put out, including the Mark Twain book “The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today.”

I suggest these programs in part because it helps those who may not be inclined to do so to think about the parallels between the pas and our times. As they say, history doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. We can easily point out the rhyme schemes going on here.

There are many ways that libraries can help in the fight to uphold Democracy. And we an be a part of it all.

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