As we all know, MLA’s focus is on libraries and library workers. Libraries were created for the dissemination of knowledge and are training grounds for democracy. No matter who you are, everyone has access, libraries are for the entire community. Those who are anti-library, who are anti-book, put in peril all the other offerings we do in service to our communities when wanting to ban a book. But we must remember, we are all in this together and the challenges we face are not just library-centric – the challenges to our First Amendment rights are universal to all. We must look beyond our own communities and know that every citizen of our country is affected.  It is crystal clear that we share similar and overlapping values with so many other associations and groups.

Toward the end of the summit, one of the speakers, David Levithan, an author and founder of Authors Against Book Bans, spoke my truths about what needs to happen next, and I share them with you.

1. Do not abdicate our values
2. We need leadership. Check egos at the door
3. We must organize and be organized
4. Meet regularly and publicly
5. Develop one central place for all states to report out what they are doing
6. Flood the narrative with positive stories
7. We can’t NOT take risks
8. Reduce duplication amongst organizations  (like the book lists that are being challenged)
9. Libraries are not neutral when it comes to freedom

In my humble opinion…FREE PEOPLE READ FREELY…must be our shared message across our libraries, across our publishing world, across the associations that were present, and through the voices of creative writers and authors. It is a strong and positive message. Joyful in fact.

We must be loud and clear…our voices must be amplified…access to all expressions of knowledge and intellectual activity must be guaranteed for every citizen of our state and nation. And yes, we are STRONGER TOGETHER! 

Deborah E. Mikula
Executive Director