Stand for the Freedom to Read: Join Us in Making Care Packages for Librarians

California has made important strides in protecting access to diverse ideas. In 2024, Governor Newsom signed the California Freedom to Read Act, which prohibits public libraries from banning books based on race, gender identity, or sexual orientation. It also requires libraries to adopt transparent, written collection-development policies. But not every community is so fortunate.

Across the country, many libraries are under increasing pressure to remove or restrict access to books. In fact, the American Library Association reported that thousands of unique book titles have been challenged each year since 2021, at least 9 times more than the previous-decade average.

As concerned citizens, we know that access to information is central to living an ethical and informed life. So, as Banned Books Week approaches, we’re taking a special kind of action that reflects Ethical Culture’s emphasis on relationships. Join us on Saturday, September 27th, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., for a service project in support of librarians and libraries facing censorship across the U.S.

Focusing on libraries and librarians who are the target of disinformation campaigns as revealed by [EveryLibrary.org](https://www.everylibrary.org/) – a leading organization defending the right to read – we’ll be assembling care packages and letters of encouragement for librarians on the front lines. Together, we’ll write personal notes of support, create bookmarks as small tokens of our solidarity, and build meaningful connections with those protecting intellectual freedom in their communities. There's no need to bring anything – supplies will be provided.

This is more than just a volunteer event – it’s a chance to take a stand for open dialogue, diverse voices, and the right to explore ideas freely. We hope you’ll join us. Your words – and your presence – will make a difference.

For more information about our friendly group, Ethical Culture Society of Silicon Valley, visit our website at: ecssv.org (http://ecssv.org/) and see our other events on Meetup ([https://www.meetup.com/Ethical-Culture-Society-of-Silicon-Valley/)](https://www.meetup.com/Ethical-Culture-Society-of-Silicon-Valley/))