Top five book banning facts

1. Book bans are exploding. Book bans have increased more than 400% in the past three years, with thousands of titles pulled for vague or politically motivated reasons.

2. Bans disproportionately target marginalized voices. Over 60% of banned books feature LGBTQ plus characters, students of color, or topics that help young people understand identity, history, and social issues.

3. Access is not equal. For many students, especially those in under resource districts, school libraries are their only access to independent reading materials. Bans and empty shelves widen existing inequities.

This Giving Week, we’re aiming to raise $5,000 to fund trainings, resources, and on-the-ground support for the parents, educators, librarians, and students fighting back.
Every contribution (big or small) helps us protect access to books.
www.freedomtoreadproject.org/donate-ftrp

It's stunning!

I mispronounced the word archipelago for years 😅

I still mispronounce this one in my head, too. But my way just sounds more natural 😏

The Beaches - Last Girls At The Party YouTube video by TheBeachesVEVO

Here you go! youtu.be/2wU-wN1t1Eg?...

At the end of the day, don’t we all just want to inhale the intoxicating aroma of vintage books in a quaint bookstore on a cobblestone side street in Edinburgh during a pouring rain?

According to Pen America, for the 2024 to 2025 school year Florida lead the nation with 2304 instances of book bans

In the 2024–25 school year, Florida led the nation with 2,304 book bans, according to PEN America. That’s 2,304 lost opportunities for students to see themselves, question ideas, and learn from diverse voices.

Every banned book is a silenced story, and every silence chips away at democracy.

A bunch of boulders and smaller rocks in the foreground, with a small dune and overhanging trees on the left, the ocean on the right and a bright blue sky with wispy white clouds above.

Morning! I randomly decided to open this app today for the first time in a couple mths (life's been busy) 😅

Here's a sunny Vancouver Island beach pic to get your day/week started off right 💜

I went to my first concert solo last week and it was tons of fun! The band (#TheBeaches) was amazeballs, and I definitely will be seeing them again (with friends or solo) 🎶🤩 #Uplift #CommunityPolls

Debunking the Myths: Responding to the Most Common Arguments for Book Censorship Book censorship arguments often disguise efforts to erase diverse voices. Responding with facts, empathy, and First Amendment values helps protect everyone’s right to read.

Very helpful myth debunking from the Freedom to Read Project. It succinctly offers responses to the main arguments posed by book banners.
www.freedomtoreadproject.org/debunking_th...

A dozen orange day Lilly blooms basking in the summer sunshine.

The lillies are in bloom! 😍 #GardenSky #gardening

@williamottens.com 😊

Mine is about half full (only because I ate the other half 😂)

I've never seen this type of kayak before 😮 Cool!

Is there somewhere near you where you can do this?

I'm going to eat my weight in cherries this summer 😏🍒
#SummerGoals #summer

a cartoon of a frog floating on a raft with a sad face on it Alt: A smiling cartoon frog, floating in an intertube, holding a cup at the beach looking at the sunset.

Name one #goal you want to see through before summer's end.

Serious and silly goals will be equally applauded.
#SummerGoals #summer

I'm on vacation this week and just ate a cinnamon bun for lunch. I have reached peak adulting 😌

Ohhh! I don't think I have an artistic bone in my body, but I could definitely get behind pastry-related sketching 🤤

Thank you! I am the least crafty person ever, so I'm quite proud at how it turned out ☺️

Beautiful! Darn those cake distractions, though 😂

Boop! 🥰

a little girl in a pink jacket is sitting at a table with a pencil in her hand and the words idk above her Alt: A little girl in a pink jacket with blond pig tails is sitting at a table, shrugging while shaking her head, and the acronym "IDK" below her.

Epstein, who?

Picture of Owl Bookstore style DIY Book Nook from Cute Bee.

I made a thing!! (It still needs the lights installed, but I did it 😊)
#crafting #BookishCrafts #bookstore #SundayFunday

Want Safer Neighborhoods? Invest in Libraries When library funding goes up, crime tends to go down

Want Safer Neighborhoods? Invest in Libraries
When library funding goes up, crime tends to go down
medium.com/everylibrary...

I both love and need this word.

Red wine in a wine glass that says "fur mama" on it in the foreground with a bowl of buttery popcorn in the background

It's been a bit of a day. So I'm having my favourite dinner 😌
#GirlDinner #adulting

Yep!!

Book cover of Séance Tea Party by Reimena Yee.

In effort to post more #library stuff, I'll be making wkly #GraphicNovel posts 😊 Welcome to #ComicsTuesday post # 1!

Séance Tea Party offers beautiful artwork and a fun, heartfelt, spoopy tale that reminds us to embrace imagination at every age and that friendship comes in many forms. 5 ⭐️! #comics

Still life with books and mandolin" by Antonio Sicurezza. It depicts a collection of objects arranged on a wooden surface, including a stack of books, a mandolin, a framed picture, and a vase containing paintbrushes.

‘A room without books is like a body without a soul.’ ~
Cicero.

@racheldeering.bsky.social here lending my ears to a day of Ancient Roman literature for #BookWormSat

🖼️ Antonio Sicurezza, 1957.