Support and Appreciate Your Library This Week
“I hate it that Americans are taught to fear some books and some ideas as though they were diseases.” – Kurt Vonnegut
This week is National Library Week, a celebration across the country of libraries of all kinds and the good they provide for the public. The Des Moines Public Library is proud to provide free access of information to people across the city through books, internet access, free admission to local museums, and more.
Libraries are welcoming spaces that bring communities together for entertainment, education, and connection through book clubs, storytimes, activites, lectures, and more.
In 2022, 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship, a 38% increase over 2021. In 2019, that number was just 566. As attempted censorship of books and information across the country is reaching an all-time high, we think it’s more important than ever to recognize the work that all libraries do. One of the most vital parts of any library is the books they provide for the community. To walk into a library is to have access to thousands of stories and the ability to learn about thousands of topics.
Reading is in many ways how one learns about not just the world around them, but also about themselves. It’s about having access to hundreds of viewpoints from thousands of people across the world.
"Knowledge is not something to be feared or controlled," says Sue Woody, Des Moines Public Library Director. "It is something to be celebrated and defended as an essential right to our freedom of expression."
At libraries, kids discover their interests, learning about farm animals and fairy gardens. Teens find peers, both in the pages and in the faces between the bookshelves. Adults escape into a romance or learn about the history of oppression against marginalized groups, like the LGBTQ community.
One of our most popular services is the Iowa Adventure Pass. This service gives families the opportunity to visit places like the Science Center of Iowa and the Blank Park Zoo for free each year.
Libraries also play a critical role in the economic vitality of communities by providing internet and technology access, literacy skills, and support for job seekers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. Every day, hundreds of people use our public internet to find jobs, stay in touch with loved ones, and learn about resources in the community.
More recently, the Des Moines Public Library has added the Tech Central Innovation and Maker Lab, allowing people to create and edit videos, take family photos, and preserve memories by digitizing old VHS tapes and other physical materials. We’ve also added the Library of Things, where library users can find free tools for DIY home repairs, borrow a cornhole set for a backyard party, and take home unique kitchen items like cookie cutters and popsicle molds – perfect items for a fun night in the kitchen with the family.
"Please advocate on our behalf by using your library and encouraging others to support their libraries as well," says Woody. "Join in on the conversation about the importance of unrestricted access to the books you want to read."
Tell a library worker thank you, and write to your local city counselor and legislator to tell them that you appreciate what your local library does for yourself, your family, and your community. You can also show support for the Des Moines Public Library by purchasing an item from our refreshed merchandise store.
Learn more about the books on the list >>>
1. Gender Queer: A Memoir, by Maia Kobabe
2. All Boys Aren't Blue, by George M. Johnson
3. The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
5. Looking for Alaska, by John Green
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
7. Lawn Boy, by Jonathan Evison
8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
9. Out of Darkness, by Ashley Hope Perez
10. A Court of Mist and Fury, by Sarah J. Maas
Celebration Days
Monday, April 24: Right to Read Day is a National Day of Action in support of the right to read. The State of America's Libraries Report is released, including Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2022.
Tuesday, April 25: National Library Workers Day, a day for everyone to recognize the valuable contributions made by library workers. Thank a library worker today, and check out our social media channels for special spotlights on employees.
Wednesday, April 26: National Library Outreach Day, a day the dedicated library professionals who are meeting their patrons where they are. Learn more about Rosie and our Community Outreach team today!
Thursday, April 27: Take Action for Libraries Day, a day to rally advocates to urge members of Congress to protect the freedom to read. Write to your local city counselor and legislator to tell them you appreciate what your library does for your community.
Library Bill of Rights
In 1938, Des Moines Public Library Director Forrest Spaulding drafted what became known as the Library Bill of Rights. Spaulding said that the document was designed to speak out against the growing intolerance, suppression of free speech and censorship affecting the rights of minorities and individuals.
One year later, the document was adopted by the American Library Association. It has since evolved with the times as a living document, helping guide library services. It reads:
I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.
VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.
VII. All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about, and protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable information.