Thanks to everyone who came to the Community Read-Out today. More than 100 kids and adults participated in the Read Out during which we read children's books that people have tried to keep off the library shelves in other parts of the country -- NOT in Takoma Park! We had 24 readers, who read everything from picture books like Sylvester and the Magic Pebble and The Lorax to children's novels like The Phantom Tollboth and Abel's Island. At the Read-Out, we began by talking about the difference between a banned book and a challenged book (a challenge is an effort to ban a book). Then, before each book was read, we listed the objections that some people had to it. Our Read-Out concluded with a pizza lunch, and everyone went home with a free book. Thanks to the American Library Association's Freedom to Read Foundation for awarding us a $1,000 grant, which allowed us to give out free books to all participants. Thanks also to the Friends of the Takoma Park Maryland Library, who paid for our pizza lunch. Finally, thanks to the all the library staff and library friends who took care of the myriad details that make an event like this possible. It truly takes a library staff (and some library friends!) to put on a successful Community Read-Out.
Posted by at October 2, 2010 01:52 PM