Thank you to all the librarians and libraries who are ensuring we have access to diverse stories. When my young adult daughter realized she was transgender and came out to us, I didn't know any other parents of transgender children and I didn't know much about transgender people. I have always relied on the library and its wide variety of information to help me learn, and it is the first place I looked for help. I read books about transgender people, books written by transgender people, and a wonderful book of essays on the experiences of mothers of transgender and gender variant children titled, "Transitions of the Heart," edited by Rachel Pepper. I tear up just thinking about that book and how much it meant to me at that time to not feel alone and to learn from the experiences of others who'd been in the same situation as me. I don't know if there existed many positive books about transgender people written for children or adults when my daughter was growing up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but if there had been, if it had been on my radar as a parent, perhaps we could have avoided a lot of pain and suffering, that's why we need these kinds of books easily and widely available for today's children and parents.

As a retired school librarian I am very concerned about the increasing challenges and attempts at censorship of library materials. I know first hand how hard you work and how seriously you take the careful selection of materials to serve the needs of your community. I experienced this on a much smaller scale during my work years. Please continue your good fight to protect intellectual freedom. You are on the front lines of this fight. You are essential, supported and appreciated!

As a former (retired) librarian in charge of a collection of GLBT materials in an urban public library, I salute your efforts to ensure access to all materials, especially those of marginalized community members.

I have had a library card in every city I have lived in. Something two or three if there were university libraries. A library is a wonderful resource for those who want to learn.

And librarians? Don't get me started on librarians. I never met a librarian that wasn't kind and helpful. If I ever had a problem finding anything, they always knew where it was. They were the keepers of the vast world of knowledge.

Now you are on the front lines in the battle for our First Amendment Rights and our right to learn whatever we want to learn. I stand with you in this fight against censorship. You are brave souls worth way more than you are being paid. Thank you for standing as our guardians for the freedom of knowledge.

I have loved reading since I was a child. Books have provided welcome escape, entertainment, hard truths, and an array of poetry, short stories, novels, biographies, and technical books over the years. It is more important than ever that people have access to information about life as a minority in this country. We do have institutionalized racism at a significant level and people who want to deny it exists. As an older white woman, I need to understand minority experiences and be encouraged to speak out on their behalf. I own books like How to Be an Anti-Racist, The New Jim Crow, books by James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Alex Haley, Alice Walker, and Toni Morrison. I honestly don't know how minorities endure the discrimination and violence in our nation. Thank you for being on the frontlines, working to keep truth available.

Hello Librarian!

Thank you so, so much for your continued dedication to knowledge sharing. Especially now, when certain books and messages are being attacked and banned, your work is crucial. I know I really appreciate the carefully curated section of books close to the entrance at my own local library. It's how I found Robert Reich's book 'The System: Who Rigged it, How to Fix It' and Geraldo Cadava's book 'The Hispanic Republican.' I doubt the people who are trying to ban books would want those read by anyone. I also remember the first ever chapter book I read when I was 6 years old, 'Addy Learns a Lesson,' which told the story of a fictional young girl who was born enslaved in the U.S. My first grade teacher, Mrs. Gilmore, started reading it to our class, and on Friday I just KNEW that I couldn't wait until Monday to find out what happened next, so I asked to borrow the book over the weekend. It was a big ask for a 6 year old and Mrs. Gilmore emphasized how important it was to take care of the book and bring it back on Monday. I went home and sat at our kitchen table and read all 4 chapters out loud to my mom. I always remember Mrs. Gilmore as the person that started my love of reading and it is heartbreaking to think that other young people may not be able to read about Addy and learn our American history (both the good and the bad). I've never had the opportunity to tell Mrs. Gilmore how often I think of her and how much I credit her with, so I hope that by sharing this story you'll feel that even though we might not always tell you, we really really appreciate you and you literally change lives.

Thanks again.

Librarians, thank you for your courage! Being a librarian myself, I have always been grateful that our profession shows its commitment every day to libraries and collections that underpin the free and open exchange of ideas and opportunities for EVERYONE to learn. Many do not fully appreciate the social roles our public libraries and their collections play supporting knowledge, literacy, and the principles of a free society. As James Madison put it, "knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

The procurement, care, and recommending of books are among the most important functions contributing to a democratic, educated society. It is you, the librarians, who provide these critical services. Any impediment to the work of librarians must not be allowed to happen. It is with great appreciation that I salute and support librarians everywhere.

I got my first library card before I started grade school and I've never stopped reading. I'm now in my 70s! Every time I've moved, I've found my local library and registered for a new card. I don't know what I would do without libraries and librarians. My world has expanded and I've learned everything from history to gardening. Thank you for protecting my right to read whatever I want! Although I now own many books, I still visit my local libraries to find new reading materials. My world continues to expand through reading.

As a young child, our family could not afford to buy books, but my mom took me to the library every Saturday and we came home with lots of books that she would read to me. Learning about how the dinosaurs died made me love dinosaurs and science. When I got a little older I continued going to the library myself every Saturday and bringing home many books which I read over the week, to return the next Saturday for more. As an adult, the library became the center for progressive thought and discussion. Being able to read a wide range of topics in books had a major impact for the better on my life. Reading books helped me to become more aware of how the world works from a better knowledge of science and life processes. Books also helped me to become more understanding and compassionate and raised my awareness of those things that needed to be changed in our society. Books made me more appreciative of diversity and the true history of this country, especially with regard to slavery and the genocide of Indigenous populations. I fully support the work and efforts of librarians to fight against censorship and book bans. Please continue to help stop the banning of books. Keep the books on the Library bookshelves.