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Heres the Full Text of an ALA Release:

The American Library Association (ALA) today announced a national day of action to protect libraries and the freedom to read, designating April 24, the Monday of National Library Week, as Right to Read Day. Right to Read Day also marks the first anniversary of the ALA-founded Unite Against Book Bans campaign, a public-facing advocacy initiative to empower readers everywhere to stand together in the fight against censorship.

Right to Read Day is a national day of actionnot just acknowledgement, said ALA President Lessa Kananiopua Pelayo-Lozada. ALA calls on readers everywhere to show our commitment to the First Amendment by doing something concrete to preserve it.

The fight against censorship is too big for one person or library or organization to take on alone. And we dont have to. Thats why ALA created Unite Against Book Bans: to be a collective voice in defending the right to read.

Since the movement was launched in April 2022, Unite Against Book Bans has created and curated a set of free advocacy resources and provided direct support to community organizers. Local advocates have used and adapted these resources to fight censorship in communities like Llano County and League City, Texas, and in states like Missouri and Louisiana. ALA and its Unite Against Book Bans partnersindividuals, authors, publishers, educators, advocacy groups and library organizations of all stripesare calling on readers to take action on Right to Read Day and beyond.

Suggested Right to Read Day actions include:

Right to Read resources, including social media assets, are available athttps://uniteagainstbookbans.org/right-to-read-day/

Readers who think, this will never happen in our community, need to think again. More than half the states have legislation proposed or passed that would take library books off the shelves, punish library workers who dare to make books accessible and silence the voices of LGBTQ, BIPOC and other authors. Speaking up and raising our voices now can stop censorship where its happening and prevent censorship where its just getting started.

In addition to the call to action, Unite Against Book Bans partners will host Protecting Free Expression and the Right to Read, a virtual conversation with partners from ALA, PEN America and National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) prompted by Forever Judy Blume, the new documentary about renowned author and right to read advocate Judy Blume. ALA President Pelayo-Lozada, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel and NCAC Executive Director Christopher Finan will sit down with the documentarys co-directors to discuss Judy Blumes trailblazing work and the unprecedented surge of censorship sweeping across the country.Registrationis required for the free virtual event, which will take placeMonday, April 24, at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

The Monday of National Library Week also includes the release of ALAs annual State of Americas Libraries report, which includes a list of thetop 10 banned booksof 2022.

Source

Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Companies (Publishers/Vendors), Libraries, National Libraries, News

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