The theme for Banned Books Week 2022 is "Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us." Sharing stories important to us means sharing a part of ourselves. Books reach across boundaries and build connections between readers. Censorship, on the other hand, creates barriers. Banned Books Week is both a reminder of the unifying power of stories and the divisiveness of censorship, and a call to action for readers across the country to push back against censorship attempts in their communities.
In a time of intense political polarization, library staff in every state are facing an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 729 challenges to library, school and university materials and services in 2021, resulting in more than 1,597 individual book challenges or removals. Most targeted books were by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ persons.
Collins Library proudly gives you access to the top 10 most challenged books of 2021; click here for a list of library request links!
During America’s war in Vietnam, the antiwar movement among active-duty soldiers and veterans was central to the success of the larger U.S. protest movement—and had a profound impact on the course of the war. READ MORE...
On August 25, 2022, a memorandum was released by the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy updating federal policy requiring data and publications resulting from federally funded research to be shared. READ MORE...
This week libraries all over our country celebrate the freedom to read. In a release from the American Library Association earlier this month 681 attempts to ban or restrict library resources were documented through the first eight months of 2022.
All of us at Collins Library support the freedom to read and invite you to read a banned book! READ MORE...
Join poet and University of Puget Sound Librarian Wendy Lee Spaček for a writing workshop based on the themes of the Tacoma Reads youth selection We Belong by Cookie Hiponia. READ MORE...
Alisa recently gave a ZOOM presentation to kick off the events associated with our amazing new exhibition in the library called Changing the Conversation. She talks about her work, her family legacy and the CROWN Act. READ MORE...
Open to the Public:
Mon. - Thurs., 8am - 7pm
Fri., 8am - 6pm
Sun., 1pm - 7pm
