It's the third week in August, which means it's time to celebrate Teen Read Week across this great nation. Teen Read Week is brought to you by the good people at the Young Adult Library Services of America, or YALSA.
How are we celebrating Teen Read Week at the Marshall County Public Library? With sugary goodness, a gift bag giveaway, and an oddly named party. The sugary goodness comes in the form of bite sized candy bars (which every teen will receive when they check out a book), and in a "build a cupcake" session at the first ever Thursdays with Tammy @ Benton. The gift bag contains lots of random wonderfullness, which you can win by putting your name in for the drawing at any of the three branches of the Marshall County Public Library. The oddly named party is called "Bite Me" and will be @ Calvert City on Friday. There will be games (fun games), snacks (yummy snacks), and prizes (awesome prizes). For more information on the wheres and whens, check out the Schedule of Awesome (which also lists our other upcoming events).
Another way you can celebrate Teen Read Week is to head over to the YALSA page and vote for your favorite book of 2008. (It's battle Eclipse vs Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! Who will win? Only you can decide!) You can also vote on the 2009 Teen Read Week Theme.
Finally, you can celebrate Teen Read Week in the best way possible: by snuggling up to a good book. If you looking for suggestions as to what to read, you can check out the book reviews on our webpage or browse the Twilight Reading Web.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Fight Evil. Read Books.
Happy Banned Books Week everyone! Didn't know it was Banned Books Week? Yeah, well I kinda forgot too. But as karma or divine providence or whatever would have it, I was made to remember. Turns out my dedication to intellectual freedom was challenged more than once this week. Which, of course, got me to thinking about what it means to be against censorship and for intellectual freedom.
Here is the thing. I believe that a library has the responsibility to carry a wide variety of materials on a wide range of topics, including (and possibly especially) topics that are controversial. That doesn't mean that I support every issue that these books may cover. For example, do I think that teenagers should have copious amounts of sex with multiple partners while partaking in a variety of drugs and drinking alcohol? Ummmm...heck no. Do I think that teenagers should have the option of reading books about other teenagers having copious amounts of sex with multiple partners while partaking in a variety of drugs and drinking alcohol? Without question.
What is the difference? The difference is knowledge. When you read about a subject, whether it be a fictional or nonfictional account, you gain knowledge. And I don't care what anyone else says, knowledge is always good. Knowledge allows us to make informed decisions and come to a greater understanding of the world around us. As far as I'm concerned, that is one of the most important tasks we are given in this life.
Look at it this way: the opposite of knowledge is ignorance. Ignorance is what leads to hate, violence, and other manifestations of evil. Therefore reading books really does fight evil. And in order to be fully prepared for battle, we must have a full arsenal at hand. That book that "they" don't want us to have on our shelves? It might just be the one that wins us the war.
Here is the thing. I believe that a library has the responsibility to carry a wide variety of materials on a wide range of topics, including (and possibly especially) topics that are controversial. That doesn't mean that I support every issue that these books may cover. For example, do I think that teenagers should have copious amounts of sex with multiple partners while partaking in a variety of drugs and drinking alcohol? Ummmm...heck no. Do I think that teenagers should have the option of reading books about other teenagers having copious amounts of sex with multiple partners while partaking in a variety of drugs and drinking alcohol? Without question.
What is the difference? The difference is knowledge. When you read about a subject, whether it be a fictional or nonfictional account, you gain knowledge. And I don't care what anyone else says, knowledge is always good. Knowledge allows us to make informed decisions and come to a greater understanding of the world around us. As far as I'm concerned, that is one of the most important tasks we are given in this life.
Look at it this way: the opposite of knowledge is ignorance. Ignorance is what leads to hate, violence, and other manifestations of evil. Therefore reading books really does fight evil. And in order to be fully prepared for battle, we must have a full arsenal at hand. That book that "they" don't want us to have on our shelves? It might just be the one that wins us the war.
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