The City Council held a ceremony on Tuesday to honor Banned Books Week, which will take place from Oct. 2-7. They also acknowledged the L.A. Public Library staff for their ongoing efforts to ensure that books are accessible to everyone.
“We are here today to celebrate and commemorate a fundamentally American right. It’s the freedom of expression, of thought, and the freedom to read whatever the hell you choose,” said Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who led the presentation.
She further stated, “Unfortunately, in our increasingly divisive political climate, we are witnessing a growing environment that restricts and limits people from reading some of the most fundamental and traditional literature that has been available in this country for generations.”
Rodriguez highlighted the fact that the city library department has positioned itself as a gateway for those who have been denied access to the fundamental opportunities of reading, and to books that are otherwise limited throughout the country.
John Szabo, the City Librarian who oversees the Central Library in downtown L.A. and the 72 branches across the city, expressed his pride in working for a city that recognizes the significance of Banned Books Week. He also mentioned that the LAPL provides not only a place for reading, but also various other services such as immigration and mental health services.
In September, over 1,000 Angelenos signed up for library cards. The department recently organized the LA Libro Fest at the Central Library, an event where over 1,000 young people and families gathered to celebrate books and authors from different languages.
“Now we are celebrating Banned Books Week, which is a tribute to the freedom to read. It highlights the importance of intellectual freedom and serves as a reminder to all Angelenos and people everywhere that our libraries are committed to collecting and making available stories from all our communities,” said Szabo.
According to the American Library Association, book challenges and bans in the nation have reached an all-time high, nearly doubling from the previous year. The books that are most frequently challenged and banned are those by Black, Indigenous, people of color, and LGBTQ authors.
Szabo emphasized that LAPL stands for intellectual freedom, and its staff members play a crucial role in highlighting the annual event for banned books through displays, blog posts, social media, and public programming.
Jené Brown, the director of emerging technologies and collections for LAPL, spoke about a new initiative called “Read Freely with LAPL.” She described it as a “pivotal” moment in the department’s dedication to intellectual freedom and the right to access information.
The initiative was launched on Oct. 1 and will run until the end of the year. Read Freely with LAPL offers a selection of digital books from the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books, making them available to readers aged 13 and above across the United States.
Brown explained that enrollment in the initiative is a simple process. Applicants can create a Read Freely digital card and gain access to the collection of books through Libby, the LAPL’s app designed to make borrowing books and accessing library services easier.
Residents of Los Angeles with a library card can also access the collection, while those without library cards can easily obtain an E-card.
“In closing,” Brown concluded, “I leave you with a powerful reminder: Free people read freely. This sentiment, perfectly articulated by Tracy D. Hall, the executive director of the American Library Association, encapsulates the essence of intellectual freedom.”
For more information about LAPL’s Read Freely initiative, visit lapl.org or any of the 73 libraries across the city.
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