We Need More Book Sanctuaries

 

 

Hoboken, New Jersey, a small but culturally, vibrant town, recently became a book sanctuary city by a unanimous City Council vote. What does it mean to be such a city -- and why isn’t the whole country on board? 

Books need a haven from bans, censorship, and cancellations. The nation’s very First Amendment in our precious Constitution ensures the legal right to free speech. Our country didn’t fight a revolution and countless wars that cost millions of wounded or dead Americans just so a handful of self-chosen people can restrict what Americans get to read.  

The United States must establish safe spaces to tell and share all stories. Hoboken’s new status will now prevent books from being endangered and to keep free access to all written content, regardless of the substance of such content.  

So, why is our nation torn apart by politicians, activists, and disgruntled citizens over which books are published, stocked in bookstores, shelved in libraries, or taught in classes? Books on controversial topics - race, gender, and religion are usually at the center of controversy. When will we become a nation that tolerates other view points and even embraces them?  

A website, www.BookSanctuary.org, encourages other cities to become a book sanctuary and asks them to commit to: 

 

• Making those books that are endangered broadly accessible. 

 

• Hosting book talks and events, sparking conversations about diverse characters and stories. 

 

• Educating others on the history of book banning to burning. 

According to polls and surveys last year, 75-87% of Americans oppose book bans. Why that’s not 100% is beyond me. 

In the past three academic years, 283 laws in 45 state legislatures have been proposed, seeking either to ban books, censor curriculum, restrict student civil rights, and/or punish teachers for accurately recounting our nation's history. 

The U.S Dept. of Education says 2.5 million students are enrolled in school districts where there are no school libraries. One in 10 schools in America are without a library and 30% do not have full-time school librarians. How did our country become a school library desert?  

There is a Right To Read Act pending before Congress. It provides for ensuring all U.S students have access to a school library, staffed by a certified school librarian. It failed to advance through a lame-duck Congress in Oct. ’22, but was reintroduced this past April. If it passes, it would authorize up to $500 million in literary state development grants, as well as increases in funding by 380% for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy Program.  

Schools, libraries, bookstores, and wherever Americans gather should be book sanctuaries. Let’s make it happen!  

“Anticipation is the secret sauce of communication.”

-Best-selling Author John Maxwell

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on LinkedIn. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.4 million pageviews. With 4,600+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.