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A single person can make a huge difference when they are diligent and organized
This book features a same-sex couple who have too many chickens, but when they try to rehome
She contacted the author to let him know what was going on in her community, worried that
Then, at the school board meeting, she spoke passionately about how important it was to keep this
If one person can make a change like that, imagine the power a group holds
Even a small book club of five or fewer members can make a huge difference when they
Here are some ways that your book club can fight against censorship in your community
Even if they are from several counties or a city and its surrounding counties, there’s a
Local news can be harder to find because it often doesn’t come to our phones with
With cell phones and the change in our culture where more people keep to themselves, it’s
A weekly newsletter focusing on literature by and about people of color!
Many libraries have book club in a bag where they will check out a set of books
This allows you to get information and updates directly from the source, often getting inside information that
To keep up with book banning and censorship news more broadly, sign up for Book Riot’s
Word of mouth has long been proven as the most effective marketing strategy
Talk to your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors about book challenges and bans going on in the
Since this is your issue, tell your people what you’ve learned and how you plan to
Then they will be able to make an informed decision based on a trusted source: you
Town hall, school board, and library board meetings are all open to the public and generally poorly
Much like word of mouth, showing up has a greater impact than almost anything else
Voting in your local elections for representatives who are against censorship in schools and libraries directly affects
This means to vote for who is on your school board, library board, county, city, and state
We have guides for how to run for your school board and library board
There are so many challenged authors, especially in school libraries
Or reach out the the author of the book being challenged in your community letting them know
Often, because of the miracle of the internet, you’ll get a response from them
Invite them to join your book club one night, and they may even video in
Like many public service jobs, being a librarian can be thankless
A quick email from your cell phone one night during book club will brighten a librarian’s
Take one month and use the money that you would spend on acquiring the book for book
Donors Choose is a site that partners with educators to fund projects for their classrooms or libraries
When I searched “books” on the site, dozens of projects of teachers and librarians trying to provide
If not, then this is another opportunity for you to build a relationship with your librarians
Sometimes if it isn’t money, then there is a project or program they are running that
They help “public, school, and college libraries win bonding, tax, and advisory referendum, ensuring stable funding and
There is so much injustice, so many causes to fight for that it can feel like there’
Don’t let book banners convince you that you are powerless
Gather your people, make a plan, and get ready to change your community
If you want to read more about how to fight censorship, here is an anti-censorship toolkit and