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QUESTION

Do you believe that New Yorkers are sufficiently aware of the threat that stems from banning books, considering that books are not being banned in the city's public libraries?

0:13:17

·

4 min

Council Member Carlina Rivera asks the panel if they believe New Yorkers are sufficiently aware of the threat related to banning books, especially since such bans aren't occurring in the city's public libraries. Linda E. Johnson, President of Brooklyn Public Library, responds by highlighting the significance of their 'books unbanned' program aimed at providing students access to materials not found in schools or public libraries, and the importance of raising awareness. Dennis Walcott, President of Queen's Public Library, discusses subtle forms of censorship and the specific challenges they face, including intentional misplacement or removal of books. Anthony W. Marx, President of New York Public Library, adds that feeling safe in the city can lead to complacency, emphasizing the historical precedent of book banning and the proactive measures their libraries take, including hosting drag story hours and resisting orchestrated protests.

Carlina Rivera

0:13:17

So I just wanna ask the panel.

0:13:19

I I also wanna mention we've been joined by council members Hudson, Hanif, and Williams.

0:13:24

Do you believe that New Yorkers are sufficiently aware of the threat that stems from banning books, considering that books are not being banned in the city's public libraries?

Linda E. Johnson

0:13:37

I'll take that.

0:13:38

Thank you for the question.

0:13:39

I think that in attention is to some extent responsible for what's going on.

0:13:45

And when you live in New York City, you feel perhaps that it's not our problem.

0:13:49

When we started the book's unbanned program.

0:13:52

Really, the thought was to be sure that students could get the material they wanted, that they could no or find on the shelves of their school or their public libraries.

0:14:02

And certainly, the program has achieved that, but we have also learned in the process that shining a light on the issue is equally important, that not everybody of course runs an institution or a library that can make sweeping gesture to, you know, emphasize the problem and get people talking about it.

0:14:21

But everybody can do something even if it's a small gesture.

0:14:25

And so we are encouraging everybody to participate in whatever way they can to make sure that this issue is at the forefront and that people are being vocal about it.

0:14:36

We don't believe, and maybe this is me and my rose colored glasses, but I do not believe that the majority of Americans think that sensor ship is a good thing.

0:14:45

But I do think that lack of attention is in part to blame for this.

Dennis Walcott

0:14:49

It also, if I may.

0:14:51

Pick up on the subtle forms of censorship as well because what we experience, and I imagine my colleagues experience as well, Even though you may not have people saying, band this book, when they come into a library and they may not be happy with the book, all of a sudden, the placement of the book changes as well.

0:15:09

So where you had it placed is no longer there.

0:15:12

We've experienced that, where people will actually physically remove a book and try to either put it on the side or do something with it so it's not visible.

0:15:21

We have signage that deals with banned books to make sure people are aware about the issue it's help, and people have literally gone and picked up the signs and torn them up.

0:15:32

And those types of issues, we face still in a New York City area, and we are very conscious of that.

0:15:39

So I agree that it may not be as prevalent, but it same time, there are the subtle and sometimes not so subtle forms like helicopters flying overhead and full police details in the street.

0:15:50

Making sure that people are protected and able to go into the library to participate in the program.

Anthony W. Marx

0:15:56

Madam chair, I'll just add, I think we've learned from history.

0:15:59

When you feel safe because you live in a more open part of a country or in this great city.

0:16:08

That can be lead you down a path that allows this kind of inexplicable, unacceptable behavior to gain strength before you even realize it.

0:16:20

It's why we are here.

0:16:22

Front and center because we've seen this in history.

0:16:25

Yes.

0:16:26

Book banning isn't happening in New York City.

0:16:29

Thank goodness.

0:16:30

Let's keep it that way.

0:16:32

I I remember when the mayor joined us for an event on book banning, he was looking at the books that was banning that were banned and just shaking his head in disbelief.

0:16:41

At these classics, Tony Morrison, band.

0:16:45

It's just unthinkable.

0:16:47

But these these issues, the culture wars, come to us.

0:16:52

More directly.

0:16:53

In particular, the drag story hours that we proudly offer, not huge numbers.

0:17:00

I wish it was more 34 of those last year out of 85100 book, you know, book events for youngsters that brought orchestrated protests that almost made it impossible used by these folks claiming liberty under a banner of freedom to stop exactly that.

0:17:24

We are resisting.

0:17:25

We are continuing.

0:17:27

And we must all do that together.

Carlina Rivera

0:17:31

Here, here.

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Dennis Walcott, President of Queen's Public Library on Supporting Freedom of Expression and Denouncing Book Banning

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When books are banned in other parts of the country, does it change how New York is able to access books at all, whether it's digital copies or physical copies?

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