LIBRARY INFO LIBRARY CLOSINGS Thanksgiving: Sunday, December 1 Christmas: Sunday, December 22, Tuesday and Wednesday, December 24 and 25 New Years: Sunday, December 29 and Wednesday, January 1 (All branches will close at 5 pm Tuesday, December 31) Martin Luther King Jr.: Sunday, January 19 and Monday, January 20 EQUITY STATEMENT We advance diversity, inclusion, and belonging for our staff, customers, partners, and the whole community to create an equitable Library and society. We are committed to using our resources and partnerships to improve the lives of people of every race, ethnicity, culture, faith, age, sexual orientation, ability, socio-economic status, and gender. AACPL is committed to serving all our customers. For information about our accessibility resources, including American Sign Language interpretation, visit: aacpl.net/services/accessibility.
Skip Auld, Anne Arundel County Public Library Chief Executive Officer
AACPL is Now a Book Sanctuary On September 25, I was proud to announce that Anne Arundel County Public Library is now a Book Sanctuary, the first one in Maryland. Originating in Chicago in 2022, Book Sanctuaries are dedicated spaces committed to preserving and protecting endangered books, making them widely accessible, hosting book discussions and events, and educating the public on the history of book banning and censorship. Passed by resolution of the Library’s Board of Trustees,
From the Book Sanctuary Launch: (from left) County Executive Steuart Pittman, Hoboken Free Library Director Jennie Pu, State Librarian Morgan Miller, AACPL CEO Skip Auld, Delegate Dana Jones and Mayor Gavin Buckley.
this declaration is a powerful statement of our values and redoubles our efforts to educate people on the dangers of censorship to a democracy. We stand firm in our dedication to protecting the rights of all who use our library’s resources. A sanctuary is a place of safety, and here in Anne Arundel County, we guarantee that every book, every thought and every perspective is protected. Book bans and challenges are rising across the country with the American Library Association reporting that in 2023, public libraries saw a 92 percent increase in the number of titles targeted for censorship over the previous year. In fact, groups and individuals attempted to block access to more than 4,200 unique titles in 2023 at public libraries and at public schools. In our state alone, more than half of Maryland’s public libraries have faced book challenges or far worse. Small groups of people are attempting to tell Marylanders what they can and cannot read and are threatening library staff for providing a diverse collection of materials. In addition to special programs, several of our libraries have designated book displays to promote our book sanctuary. Additionally, there is Defend/Celebrate Your Freedom to Read merchandise available at bonfire.com/store/aacpl . We hope you’ll join us in this effort to protect everyone’s freedom to read!
BOARD of TRUSTEES OFFICERS Christopher B. Nelson, Chair Damita McDonald, 1st Vice Chair J. Robert Sapp III, 2nd Vice Chair Laura J. Ellis, Secretary Catherine Belcher, Treasurer DIRECTORS Tim Lemke Lonni K. Summers MEMBERS Margot Argeles Skip Auld, Ex-Officio
Inside This Issue BRANCH PAGES
MORE ITEMS OF INTEREST Book Club Adults: 4, 5, 10, 14, 18 Book Club Kids: 7, 10, 14, 15, 17 Movies: 6, 9, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21 Online Events ..........................11 Black History Month...........12-13 Foundation Report ............22-23 Kindergarten Readiness ..........24
Broadneck................................ 4 Brooklyn Park .........................16 Busch Annapolis........................5 Crofton ..................................10 Deale........................................6 Discoveries: The Library at the Mall................................7 Eastport-Annapolis Neck ...........8 Edgewater ................................9
Glen Burnie ............................17 Linthicum ...............................18 Maryland City at Russett .........11 Mountain Road .......................19 Odenton .................................14 Riviera Beach .........................20 Severn ...................................15 Severna Park ..........................21
Dylan Behler Noah Comet James R. Estepp Ishani Gandhi Simmona E. Simmons JanElaine Smith Sandra L. Solomon Gerald P. Starr
Faith Steele Jeremy York
Library STEM Programs Promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Skills STEM education fosters a love of math and science by encouraging learners to engage in inquiry, logical reasoning, collaboration and investigation. In Library Happenings, programs that incorporate STEM principles are designated with this icon: ⚛
This donor funded icon brings awareness to the many wonderful programs and experiences that are a reality at the library thanks to community donors.
Library Happenings
December 2024, January and February 2025
2
3
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker