Oct 1-7 is Banned Books Week. According to the American Library Association, there were 45 book challenges in Massachusetts in 2022 affecting 57 titles. That’s more than the past 9 years (2013-2021) combined. When we ban books, we’re closing off readers to people, places, and perspectives. But when we stand up for stories, we unleash the power that lies inside every book.
Freadom to Read Wall: What does the freedom to read mean to you? Stop by and celebrate your constitutional right to read by contributing to our “Freadom to Read” wall on the main floor through October.
Let Freedom Read – Statewide Read-In: Grab a book and a comfy chair and come to the library for Let Freedom Read, a statewide read-in. Join us in the Rotunda, and throughout the library, to exercise your freedom to read! Digital participation is also welcomed. Download an eBook or audiobook through Libby or Hoopla and use #LetFreedomReadMA to post pictures to social media. Find more info on this statewide initiative here. Thursday, Oct 5 3-5 PM
Library staff with: (back row, L to R) Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, The Diary of Anne Frank, Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs, The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini; and (front row, L to R) A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss, The Rainbow Parade by Emily Neilson, Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo, and Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
Library staff with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling, When Allan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff, and A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Library staff with The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Library staff with Maus by Art Spiegelman
Chris Lindquist, Library Director with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Aida Gennis, Chair, Library Trustees with The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Win Treese, Library Trustee with Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 by Tim Hamilton
Leah Hart, Library Trustee with The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Elisa Scola, Library Trustee with The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
Betsy Gavron, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Wayland Schools with Jacob’s Room the Choose by Ian and Sarah Hoffman; Interim Superintendent David Fleishman with No Voice Too Small; and Allyson Mizoguchi, Wayland High School Principal with True You by Gwen Agna and Shelley Rotner
Tom Fay, Wayland Select Board with Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Adam Gutbezahl, Wayland Select Board with Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Yamini Ramjan, Chair, Wayland Human Rights, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee with The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Rachel Sideman-Kurtz, Chair, Wayland Cultural Commission with The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie