Beth Piezzo, Library Director

Almost every evening, my husband and I take a walk around our neighborhood in New Haven. And stapled to almost every telephone pole, are numerous flyers in varying states of decay. Notices for tag sales, concerts, scientific studies and lost pets paper poles along our route. Occasionally, someone uses this unofficial public forum to express their political viewpoint. Recently I passed a flyer with language that I found offensive, and my first urge was to rip it down. After all, technically people aren’t allowed to post flyers on telephone poles. And there are children walking by who shouldn’t be exposed to that kind of language. I would be doing a good thing for our neighborhood by removing the offensive poster. And then my personal feelings took a backseat as I reminded myself we live in a society where free speech is a constitutional right. While I may have a negative reaction to flyers or books with viewpoints that I disagree with, I prefer to live in a world where everyone is free to choose what they read or don’t read. So, I averted my eyes and kept walking.

This week the Cheshire Public Library is celebrating Freedom to Read Week (formally known as Banned Books Week) to highlight the dangers of censorship. This annual celebration was launched in 1982 by the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) in response to an increase in book challenges. Interestingly, forty-plus years after the first Banned Books Week, the nation is again experiencing an increase in book challenges. According to the OIF, in 2023 4,240 different titles were challenged which represents a 65% increase over 2022. Books representing LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals account for 47% of those titles targeted for removal. According to the OIF Director, Deborah Caldwell-Stone, “This is a dangerous time for readers and the public servants who provide access to reading materials. Readers, particularly students, are losing access to critical information, and librarians and teachers are under attack for doing their jobs.”

It would be dishonest to say that librarians don’t struggle with buying books whose content they disagree with. But providing a collection that represents diverse viewpoints is fundamental to supporting ALA’s Freedom to Read Statement which asserts that the ability to read freely is essential to our democracy. This is not to say that everything published makes it into the collection as librarians also must be careful to curate materials based on the authority of the author, accuracy of content, and even price and format. For a full list of the criteria used at the Cheshire Library please see our Materials Selection Policy.

As part of our celebration of Freedom to Read Week, staff have created two drop-in activities for all ages that will be available during our regular hours of operation:

Guess the Challenged Book Game where a copy of a challenged book has been shredded and placed in a jar. Each day a new clue is added to help you solve the puzzle.

Shine a Light on Censorship Scavenger Hunt where each participant will be given a small black light to use to uncover cleverly hidden letters and solve a secret word.

Whether you stop in this week to try one of our activities or visit anytime in future, we hope you will register for a library card and borrow materials so you too can read often and read freely.

I am currently rewatching my favorite television series of the 1990’s, Northern Exposure. For those not familiar with this program, the show offers viewers a glimpse into the quirky lives of residents living in the small, close-knit town of Cicely, Alaska. In a recent episode, resident bush pilot, Maggie O’Connell, meets up with other locals at the town’s laundromat. Within the drab space, residents share the latest gossip as they plug coins into battered washers and dryers. Upon discovering that one of the machines has destroyed some of her clothing, Maggie decides it is time to buy her own washer and dryer. However, soon after the new set is delivered to her home, Maggie realizes it was not just about washing her clothes but the sense of connection and community the activity brought (remember, this is pre-internet and social media!). She tries calling other residents while her washer is running but they are too busy to talk on the phone. She extends invitations to friends to do their laundry at her house, but they decline. Through her experience, Maggie comes to realize the laundromat functions as the village’s “third place.”

Urban sociologist and author, Ray Oldenburg defines the concept of “third place” as distinct from a person’s “first place” which is their home and their “second place” which is work. The “third place” is defined as an informal gathering spot where members of the community can come together and exchange ideas. Traditionally, these are places such as pubs (epitomized in another great TV show, Cheers), post offices, coffee shops, barber shops or even main streets. According to Oldenberg an important facet of the “third place” is neutrality. All members are welcome to gather and freely express their viewpoints. As such, Oldenburg says “third places” are vital to the success of a democratic society.

By Oldenburg’s definition, libraries can be considered a “third place” in a community. As librarians we take great care to ensure that our buildings, services and collections are free and accessible and that all are welcome regardless of socio-economic status. While today the internet and social media allow people to connect instantaneously without leaving home, there is still a desire for people to connect with others in person.

Library programs such as book clubs, storytimes, and educational lectures are designed to bring people together to meet and share ideas and points of view. These programs allow people to find support for their challenges from others who are going through similar situations. Throughout my career I have witnessed mothers sharing childrearing strategies in storytime, teens who feel they do not fit in finding a peer group, and adults finding hope from the experiences of others dealing with the same mental and physical health issues.

It is a common misperception that libraries are only about books. The concept of the library as a “third place” raises the definition beyond a resource for reading or research materials. It extends the organization’s mission to be a place where those who feel excluded elsewhere can find a sense of belonging. Where those who need a respite from life’s challenges can find calm. Where those who thought they were so different from each other can find commonality and connection. It allows the library to play a key role not just, as Oldenburg says, in protecting democracy, but also in helping create a more humane society where all are treated equally and with respect.

At the end of the episode, Maggie reports that her new washer and dryer are not working correctly and convinces the technician that they need to be sent back to the factory despite his reassurances he can fix the problem onsite. He tells her sending the machines back to the factory could mean she is without them for an extended time (it is Alaska after all) but she insists. In the final scene, Maggie is happily back in the dingy, detergent-smelling laundromat listening to the latest news and finding community with her fellow residents. If you are looking for such a place in Cheshire, I hope you will stop by the library soon and discover all this wonderful “third place” has to offer.