I did not go to ALA Annual this year. I know, I go almost every year, but this year I was at PLA in April and then due to the oldest graduating college and needing to move to start a new job, plus a busy work schedule, I made the decision not to go to SD.
However, not being there is no excuse not to follow along.
If you want to read the reports of what has been happening at ALA Annual 2024 and what will continue to happen today, including reports AFTER the conference closes, please use this tag from American Libraries Magazine for all of their ALAAC24 coverage.
I also wanted to point you all to this new initiative that launched at conference-- Authors Against Book Bans.
From their website:
We are Authors Against Book Bans.
We stand united against the deeply unconstitutional movement to limit the freedom to read. We unequivocally support the availability of diverse voices on our library shelves, in our schools, and in our culture. We pledge to band together against the oppression of literature, to speak when our voices are silenced, to go where our bodies are needed, and to fight as one to ensure this freedom. Together, we will be fearless.
Our concern is not only for the books themselves, but for the children, families, educators, librarians, and communities who suffer when the freedom to read is challenged and taken away. We abhor the current organized attempts to censor books in schools and libraries across our nation, particularly in view of their insidious targeting of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ stories, the erasing of history, and silencing of voices that speak truthfully about essential human experiences. The great power of literature is its ability to create empathy, foster self-empowerment, impart knowledge, and enhance diversity of thought. We will defend this power from those who seek to subvert it.
As authors and as members of our local and national communities, we pledge to protect the rights of all young people to access the books they need and deserve.
Please explore the website, there is a lot of good information there already. My colleagues at the Freedom to Read Foundation are expressing hope as this new intuitive launches and the courts are starting to side with the Freedom to Read. I know it looks bleak, but we really are making solid in roads.
If you were at ALA Annual and would like to add your thoughts to what you learned, saw, or did, please contact me about writing a guest post.
I know many people will be off this week, but I am waiting for my Horror Genre Preview to Drop and I will have it here sometime this week. Stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment