The Anne Arundel County Public Library system will announce Wednesday that it has become the first in Maryland to be designated a book sanctuary.
CEO Skip Auld is expected to talk about the designation, which declares the system one that protects banned and endangered books, at the Annapolis Mall branch.
Book Sanctuaries, established in Chicago in 2022, have a mission to collect and protect these books, ensure public access to them, host discussions and events and educate the community about the history of book bans and censorship.
“Anne Arundel County Public Library is dedicated to protecting the rights of all who use our library’s resources and will defend their freedom to read,” Auld said in a statement. “In becoming a Book Sanctuary, we reaffirm the library’s role as a defender of intellectual freedom, a place where every individual has the right to explore ideas without fear of censorship or judgment. This declaration is a powerful statement of our values and redoubles our efforts to educate people on the dangers of censorship to a democracy.”
Auld said the library is affirming that “we are hardcore” and are going to stand firm on not censoring books.
“Just because one person objects to something, or one parent objects to something that they don’t want their kids exposed to, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other parents who do want those books there for their kids,” Auld said.
Public libraries saw a 92% increase in the number of book titles targeted for censorship last year, according to the American Library Association. More than 4,200 titles were challenged or banned.
More than half of Maryland’s public libraries have faced book challenges and have experienced a 600% increase in staff threats and 11 bomb threats related to banning books, according to a library news release.
Most of the books targeted for banning center on people of color and the LGBTQ community, Auld said. During Pride Month this year, there was a Facebook post where someone checked books out of Anne Arundel County libraries and didn’t return them, saying ‘they were glad to get these out of the libraries now.’
“We take seriously the desire to serve everybody in our community. So, we want our collections to reflect that. … We’re a library for everybody,” Auld said.
Book banning or censorship has become an issue in Maryland school libraries as well.
The Caroll County chapter of Moms for Liberty, a conservative parents’ group, successfully campaigned to remove sexually explicit books from Carroll County school libraries in January.
In Howard County, the local Moms for Liberty chapter tried to follow suit and pushed to remove sexually explicit books from school libraries earlier this year.
Governor Wes Moore signed the Freedom to Read Act in April. The law protects the right to access books and educational materials in public schools and libraries.
It prohibits the removal of books and resources due to partisan, ideological or religious objections. It also protects librarians and school staff from retaliation when they enforce these standards.
“I applaud AACPL and the Board of Trustees for taking bold action defending the freedom to read in Anne Arundel County. As the sponsor of the Freedom to Read Act, Maryland has taken a leading role fighting to protect libraries, librarians, and literature,” Del. Dana Jones said in a statement. “I couldn’t be prouder of my home library system in becoming the first book sanctuary in Maryland. It sends a clear message that Anne Arundel County values all people and their right to free and open access to information.”
The Book Sanctuary announcement is being made during the Banned Books Week, Sept. 22-28. The week started in 1982 after a rise of books being challenged in libraries, schools and bookstores.
The Baltimore County Public Library system also supports Banned Books Week. The system said they stand by their customers’ right to decide what books are appropriate for themselves and those in their care.
“Public libraries are a marketplace of ideas, offering access to diverse voices and perspectives from all corners of our communities. In libraries, we don’t tell you what to think — we provide the resources and information so that you can make informed decisions for yourself,” Baltimore County Public Library CEO Sonia Alcántara-Antoine said in a statement. “We support advocating against book bans because we believe in the power of intellectual freedom.”
In an effort to educate the community about book censorship, the Anne Arundel County library system is hosting a Banned Book Tiny Art Showcase at 6 p.m. tonight at the Maryland City at Russett Library.
The library also has Cheers to AACPL: Raise a Glass to Your Freedom to Read events scheduled at local breweries in Annapolis, Crofton and Odenton starting in October.
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