Banned Books Week 2010

Banned Books Week (September 25th - October 2nd) is here!

From the American Library Association's website:

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.

For more information:

Map of where books have been challenged

100 Most Frequently Challenged Books

American Library Association

15 Iconic Movies Based on Banned Books

2010's Most Wanted

If you have any questions about banned/challenged books please don't hesitate to ask us! We support a reader's right to decide for themselves what they want to read!

Book Sale & Whistlestop Festival

Come by this weekend during the Whistlestop Festival and

visit our 3rd Annual Book Sale!

Saturday, September 25th

9am - 4pm

We have tons of great books and magazine just waiting to be bought!

Call 951-1415 for more information.

Kickoff Events for the Irondale Community Garden

Do you want to see a community garden in Irondale?!?

Come to one of the kickoff events Wednesday, September 22nd for the proposed Irondale Community Garden!

Edible Perennials Workshop - 2 PM
We'll learn some edible perennial basics, then plant a small sample plot!
Space limited - RSVP to irondalegarden@gmail.com or 956-0100
$10 suggested donation

Irondale Garden Celebration - 6 PM
Enjoy refreshments, music and fun!
Free and open to all!

DIRECTIONS: Heading north on 16th St from Hwy 78, turn left on Montevallo Rd just past Irondale Community School. Where the road curves left and intersects with Vetavia St on the left, the garden site is in a field to the right, by the public works building and old tennis courts.

It is easy to get involved - come on out on the 22nd or e-mail irondalegarden@gmail.com for more information!

PJ Storytime

Join us for PJ Storytime on Monday, September 20th at 6:30pm.

Come hear stories, wear your pajamas, and enjoy a bedtime snack!

All ages are welcome. Call 951-1415 or email irondalelibrary@gmail.com for more information.

Book Club Wrap-Up - The Sweet By & By

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Monday's book discussion of The Sweet By & By by Todd Johnson. Special thanks to Vicki for bringing tea and the yummy lemon rosemary cookies!

Summary:

Brought together by circumstance, five North Carolina women protect and provoke each other while they struggle with limited prospects, career ambitions, and vulnerable hearts.

This Southern fiction novel tells a touching tale about women who are brought together in an unlikely friendship because of where they lived or worked - a nursing home. The story unfolds slowly over decades and life milestones and each chapter is told by the one of the 5 main female characters. This book really made us look at the people who work at nursing homes and aspects of growing old and losing independence. In fact, The Sweet By & By has been given to workers in nursing homes as a way teach them compassion. The group enjoyed the story - and I, for one, look forward to seeing what Todd Johnson comes up with next!

For more information:

Todd Johnson's website

Audio interview with the author

A video clip of the author sharing some of his favorite fan letters:





Join us next month for Book Club on October 11th at 6:30pm. We will be discussing Brooklyn: A Novel by Colm Toibin. Hope to see you there!

Labor Day Weekend

Irondale Public Library will be closed Saturday, September 4th through Monday, September 6th, in observance of Labor Day. We will reopen at 9:30am on Tuesday, September 7.

Have a safe weekend!