A I Love Libraries and Librarians Story - The Power of a Postcard During Pride Month
June 25 % off On New Supporting Subscriptions & Things I Loved This Week
Just a Reminder - The Month of June - All NEW Paid Subscriptions are 25% off forever! Note: Gift & Group Subscriptions are ALWAYS 20% Discounted)
Now Onto The Post….
A Pride Month Note about Book Banning or Challenging—Overwhelmingly many of the books being challenged or banned are books written by persons of color (44% of non fiction bans) or with diverse LGBTQ+ characters or themes (7 out of 10 most challenged books in 2024 with similar patterns this year).
I was having a chat with my daughter about library stories from around the country. She told me a story about how a community supported a local rural library that was navigating funding cuts, possible layoffs, librarian harassment and intense challenges to access to free and diverse kinds of information and books. Someone in the community wanted to let their local library and staff know that they were appreciated and so this person organized a postcard campaign. The library ended up receiving so many postcards of support they created a wall display in their staff break room. My daughter related how librarians and staff would frequent the display to reread or just sit with all the postcards. She spoke about how something as simple as sending a postcard or letter can make a big difference, creating a sense of supportive community and connection, expressing gratitude for the resources and services our public libraries provide, as well as letting librarians know that the work they did every day mattered and that lives are changed by their often unheralded and quiet work.
I was so touched by this story. I ended up writing a letter to the director of our local library, staff and volunteers and hand delivering it. I also got online and made a small but heartfelt donation that fit with my budget.
I’ve talked about how everyday I get up and reflect upon “what is mine to do” and ask “where are the connections and community that supports what I cherish.” There is so many organizations who are under tremendous stress and challenge. On that day I answered my daily reflection with “ Today I will make a donation to my local library and send a letter of support. “
There is a reason that libraries and public media are under attack. Free access to library services, books and reliable information are transformative. Public libraries are still one of our most vital public meeting spaces, open to all and grounded in the nurturing of the common good and strengthening of community connection. In a time of “alternate facts” when social media is full of unreliable news or information sources, when even major news outlets are censoring their content to avoid conflict with our current administration, libraries and public media is incredibly powerful and absolutely essential.
So Maybe, This Week…..
Write a letter or postcard to your local library. Let them know you care, and that you appreciate them and you support their presence and the vital serviced they provide. Tell them a library story - a story about how a book, library or librarian changed how you thought about something, or provided a sense of community for your own becoming.
You may want to make a small donation to the library’s support organization. Even small donations count…there is no gift too small. In Monroe County Indiana it was The Friends of the Library. But for your own local library you can Google your local library’s support organization. Just type in “Where do I make a donation to support my local library in (insert the name of your hometown) - or call your local library and ask if there is a Friends of the Library organization where you can contribute.
You can use your own card or postcard, or here is a Postcard Template that you can download from United Against Book Bans. It was created for a “right to read” campaign that happened in April, but the Postcards are great and still work. Sending messages of appreciation and support are always meaningful, but they are even more important now. It helps the person you are supporting…but it also gives us a sense of community, connection and agency.
In celebration of Pride Month, consider writing your postcard or making that online donation to your local public libraries that are fighting to protect the freedom to read.
Question
Was there ever a time when someone made a point to tell you that you were appreciated - especially if it came at a time it really lifted your spirits? How did it feel that someone took that time to give you that acknowledgement? Was there a time you gave someone a word of support and you were surprised by the impact of such a simple gesture?
Things I Loved This Week
Ok…someone sent me this Tic Tok and it cracked me up. Humor helps ya’all!
Substack
Parker J Palmer’s Friday Post this week! It’s very powerful and lovely.
Music
I went to a concert on Friday night by “I’m With Her” A super trio with Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan. Honestly folks it was utterly exquisite, I spent the entire concert patting my heart and wiping my eyes it was that beautiful. If you live within road trip distance to any of their upcoming shows I highly recommend. Here’s a LINK to their touring schedule.
They also have a new album out called “Wild and Clear and Blue”.
Community Quotes
“It’s never wrong to reach out and there is no wrong way if you are honest about what you’re doing. You are not alone and keep trying!!” Meg Hall
“I remember when my sister died at 50, I was lost. But driving west the early evening of her funeral, the western sky was lit up with color of gold and orange. Since we buried her with her paint brush, J knew my sister had a hand in the canvas of colors splashed across the sky.” Suzy
“…my orientation is living lighter on the planet. I’m retired from paid work, at least for now. I feel like my work in the world is figuring out how to use as little plastic as possible (refill everything and don’t buy new stuff in plastic), how to drive less, buying used things - preferably from organizations that support animals or people in need, and supporting organic farmers. Not a destination, definitely an orientation” Jodi Selene
I am a retired school librarian. School librarians are a misunderstood and underrated lot. Most people thought and probably still think today that our role is to sit behind a desk, checkout books and shoosh students for talking too loudly. Nothing could be further from the truth. Modern school and public libraries are vibrant places of individual and collaborative learning. They also provide a place for students to go where they can feel safe, for whatever reason. And librarians don’t just check out books. We are trained teachers. For 30 years I tried to instruct students in how to locate information and differentiate the good from the bad, a skill that was not considered as important as other skills being taught in the regular classroom. Now look where that has gotten us today! Unlike other teachers librarians do not always know what impact we are having on students. We, for the most part, do not give tests or evaluate student performance. Most of the time we must have faith that what we are doing counts and is appreciated. Sometimes that acknowledgement comes years later. For me one of the best rewards I ever had was receiving a note from a former student long after she had graduated telling me what a difference that I and my library had made in her life. That short note made it all worth it for me.
I grew up in a small town in East Tennessee in the 1960s - 7000 people, I think. But we had a wonderful public library about two blocks from home. To this day that library is still one of the most valued images and influences during those formative years. I read thru all the children's level book I was interested in by age 10, so the librarian made an exception and gave me an "adult" card. The world was wide open at that point - not just books, but periodicals and records. As I've moved during adult life, one of the first things I do is look for the closest library.