The Strathmore Library has been taking part in Freedom to Read Week this week and Brandi Hayman, a Children's Programmer and Library Clerk with the Strathmore Library, said this is about more than just one week for the team in Strathmore.
"We do try to encourage people to keep asking questions and keep looking into these things, exercising their right to intellectual freedom all year long. That's why kind of as a library policy, we don't remove books very often, just so that everyone does have access to those."
Hayman added bringing this to the forefront of people's minds is a goal of the team at the library, hoping that all Canadians understand and appreciate the freedoms that they do have.
"In a country like Canada where we do have so many freedoms it is good to just to remind people that they are able to access the information that they want."
There is a display set up at the front of the library showcasing some of the books that have been banned over the years. Hayman said people are sometimes surprised to see certain books on that list.
"We have quite a selection, if not in our own physical collection here, through interlibrary loan with other libraries in the Marigold system, but some of the ones we do have on-site are 1984, Lord of the Flies, we even have Doctor Seuss books that have been banned, and Harry Potter books that have been banned in some libraries and we have those here."
Hayman enjoys her role with the library and expressed some of the highlights of her role.
"Supporting the community with their information needs and being able to help people find either the information they know they're looking for or leading them to something that they didn't even realize they wanted. Once they get here to the library, we can point them to that and just make them feel welcome and know they have a safe place to come to."
Freedom to Read Week is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed to them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Freedom to Read Week is organized by the Book and Periodical Council.
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Fri, Apr 26, 4:30 PM
