It’s not the burning of Alexandria but it feels pretty close.
I’ve loved books for longer than I’ve known how to read. The weight of a book in my hands, the feel of the pages, the smell, the way you can disappear inside of a story, everything about them, really. When I think of summer, I think of the library, a building filled with cold air, quiet and best of all, things to read. Earlier than that, I can remember going to the library and checking out books, consistently asking both my mom and the librarians when I could get my own card. I dreamed about having a library card much like the way a 15-year-old dreams about having a driver’s license. I think back on the feeling of writing my signature on the back of my card and the pride that came with it. That same year, The Pagemaster, starring Macauley Culkin, came out. It was like someone had taken the sensation I had walking into the library and blown it up on the theater screen. Stories were a comfort; books were an escape and they never judged me. There’s a chance, maybe even a likelihood, that other kids won’t have that opportunity, much less the experience.
This is how it starts: The executive order that was signed on March 14, proposes to reduce and dismantle a handful of organizations, one of which is The Institute of Museum and Library Services. The IMLS website states that they exist to encourage life-long learning, give access to resources that communities greatly need, while providing a safe, inclusive space for all. That does not include all of what they do or provide but that alone should be enough to warrant saving.
I’m not even going to get into museums and their necessity and the importance they have had and should continue to have. Not everyone loves to read as much as I do, and I’d hate to lose your attention before you’ve finished reading this whole piece. Here’s what matters: This executive order and Trump’s attempt to control people’s access to information should scare the hell out of you. I hope it provokes you and causes you to think about the students and teachers who will lose access to books, the many people who will lose access to the Internet, GED classes, tax help, voter registration drives, story time, keyboard classes and all the other things that are available at public libraries for free.
Make no mistake, this is just beginning. I hope it’s the beginning of signing petitions, donating time and money, reading, staying informed, marching when possible, taking steps to push back harder than I’m capable of doing on my own. I hope the doors of our libraries stay open, the lights stay on, and the shelves remain filled. Stories have power, power can become strength, and strength will lead to action. After all, action is how we will defend our right to read. Action is how we save ourselves.
Blog Art and Writing By Author: Sally Steele-Corbett (@hippiejayne)
