North Jersey library declares itself a 'book sanctuary' as censorship fights spread in U.S.
FAIR LAWN — The borough's Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library has declared itself a "book sanctuary," sending a message against censorship at a time when efforts to remove materials have gained steam around the U.S.
Fair Lawn is now the 15th community in the state to take such a stance, joining local sanctuary libraries that include Garfield, Ridgefield, Montclair, Edgewater and Washington Township in Bergen County.
The Pine library officially decided to become a sanctuary at the end of February, but Fair Lawn's mayor and council passed a resolution at last week’s Tuesday night meeting supporting the decision.
The declaration is symbolic; Fair Lawn isn't changing library policies or adding new books. But Library Director Adele Puccio said the institution thought it was critical to take a public stand against book banning.
The move was sparked by efforts at censorship around the country and locally, she said. In Glen Ridge last year, 1,000 people packed a meeting to discuss a potential ban of young adult books dealing with gender. The library board of trustees ultimately rejected the proposal.
In the Roxbury school district in Morris County, meanwhile, tensions grew so heated that the high school librarian sued four residents for defamation after they allegedly labeled her a pedophile over the presence of some LGBTQ-themed materials. Critics said the materials were sexually explicit and didn't belong in school libraries.
In Florida, an epicenter of conservative backlash, nearly 2,700 books were targeted for restriction or removal in state schools and public libraries in 2023, according to the American Library Association.
“I just felt we can’t allow that to happen here,” said Puccio.
The Fair Lawn library adopted the Library Association’s Freedom to Read statement, which declares that right is "essential to our democracy" but "continuously under attack." The Fair Lawn library will not entertain book challenges, said Puccio.
More: NJ bill would protect librarians from harassment amid push to ban books
“It’s a lovely diverse community with all sorts of people and we need something for everyone,” she said.
Before the borough council voted last week to support the sanctuary declaration, Fair Lawn resident Stella Lemberg raised concerns about language in the resolution that said “all types of books shall be made accessible to all without regard to their content.” She questioned how the library would ensure there are not “inappropriate books in the children area.”
Deputy Mayor of Community Affairs Josh Reinitz said that the borough has “the best head librarian in the state” and that he had full confidence books will be placed in their proper places in the building.
“The fact that our library will accept books does not mean they are going to misfile books, they are not going to put books in inappropriate stacks,” said Reinitz. “To assume that is truly insulting to our library.”
Many residents also spoke at the meeting to support the library and oppose book banning.
“Reading is one of the best and cheapest ways to lose yourself in other worlds, to experience the array of human emotion from joy to sorrow to grief to love, everything that is being human,” said resident Larisa Mendez Downes. “Reading, knowledge and history and all of these uncomfortable truths, those need to be free and accessible.”
Puccio hopes becoming a book sanctuary sends a message to the community that “we appreciate everyone and we want to have something for everyone.” Before the pandemic, the library put up a display for Trans Day of Remembrance that had young adult books that dealt with transgender subjects, she noted.
“I got the sweetest note – it was anonymous – but it was someone who said just seeing that made them feel wanted and appreciated as opposed to marginalized and kept out,” said Puccio. “We can’t ever let anyone feel badly, we have to do this.”
Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: noda@northjersey.com
Twitter: @snoda11
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ library declares itself a 'book sanctuary' to fight censorship
