Book Lovers Bash: Libraries & Freedom to Read
Baltimore County Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
Ask any library advocate and they’d agree that the freedom to read is one of the greatest liberties we have as Americans. Yet, they would also agree that those freedoms are currently under attack as book ban attempts increase year over year. During the 2024 spring session, the Maryland General Assembly introduced the Freedom to Read bill that states material may not be excluded or removed from the library because of the origin, background or views of the author and not for partisan, ideological or religious disapproval, and protects librarians. Baltimore County Public Library wanted to stay at the forefront of getting this bill passed and knew our power-readers could be advocates for our libraries in this work. We were excited to add a Freedom to Read panel to our annual Book Lovers Bash, which highlighted this freedom, its importance to a strong democracy and the role public libraries and our readers play in preserving it.
Challenge/Opportunity
According to ALA, book challenges throughout the United States increased 65% in 2023 compared to 2022, the highest level ever documented. Titles focused on the experiences of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals make up 47% of the titles. In Maryland, there were attempts to censor more than 100 titles. Advocacy by libraries of all kinds is helpful, but creating advocates in our reading public is key. We knew we could use the momentum of the Freedom to Read bill to inspire advocates to ensure support for state legislation supporting access to books. So, we used our already well-established platform of Book Lovers Bash to reach a wider audience.
Key Elements of Innovation
Staff wanted to build a balanced panel that provided perspective at a local and national level. The panel, moderated by our CEO and PLA President Sonia Alcántara-Antoine, consisted of Joyce McIntosh of ALA and the Freedom to Read Foundation, University of Illinois professor Emily Knox and attorney and Executive Director Nate Coulter of the Central Arkansas Library System. The event was held on Zoom and live-streamed on our Facebook page to reach a wider audience. We used our e-newsletter as well as social media to encourage our followers to attend and bring along a friend. A key element of the program was making sure to lean into what the general public can do. Staff had a variety of links and information to share during the program in the Zoom chat, including how to directly support the pending legislation in the General Assembly and how a citizen may join the fight against book bans. Staff included a follow-up email with the aforementioned links for participants to learn more.
Achieved Outcomes
Response to the program, both from the general public and those in the library community, was incredibly positive. The 104 participants in the program left with actionable items: How they could connect with their legislators to support the Freedom to Read Act and how they could get involved in supporting libraries locally (e.g., at the time of the event, BCPL had an open spot on the Board of Trustees) and nationally (e.g., how to support the Freedom to Read Foundation). On April 25, Governor Wes Moore signed the Freedom to Read Act into law and made Maryland one of the first states to lead against politicized attacks from extremist activists seeking to ban books and deny access to resources.
