FYI,

Actor Kirk Cameron’s Publisher Brave Books Organizing Storyhours at Public Libraries on Saturday, August 5^th.

You may have already heard or are aware, but the publisher Brave Books and Kirk Cameron are organizing a nationwide story hour at public libraries on August 5. They are encouraging the public to request library meeting rooms to host this event. You can find more details in this Book Riot piece - https://bookriot.com/kirk-cameron-public-library-events-august-5/

Brave Books titles have a right-wing ideology and some of their titles are: Little Lives Matter, Elephants Are Not Birds, and Unmuzzle Me, Please. Cameron has published two books with the company.

An excerpt from the Book Riot article includes, “If you’re a public library worker, now is the time to prepare for what could be either an onslaught or a big nothing burger. In hoping for the latter, preparing for the former will ensure that your library is indeed in a strong position to defend the choices it makes in the interest of its purpose, its staff, and its users. This includes reviewing your policies around meeting rooms and meeting with your legal representation on what requirements you can and cannot make of those requesting rooms (specifically around security — someone like Cameron, via his profile, is a public safety concern but also, knowing that increased law enforcement at the public library is antithetical to the tenants of librarianship and is an impediment for the use of the facility by marginalized individuals, what do you do?).”…

Kirk Cameron did a story hour at the Cherry Hill Public Library in April 29^th. It got lots of press in the conservative papers. If you have questions, you might reach out to Cherry Hill.

Since it’s during summer reading, I hope that many of you already have library related programs scheduled in your meeting rooms that day.

~Sharon

All the best,

Sharon Rawlins, MLS (she/her/hers)

Youth Services Specialist

Library Development Bureau

New Jersey State Library

P. 609-278-2640 x116

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