After hearing all the fantastic podcasts from Shirley Nuhn’s ESL 52 class, I was inspired to make my own! Thanks for staying tuned throughout the week, everyone, and keep reading!

“Hello everyone! And thank you for staying tuned for NOVA Annandale Library’s weeklong celebration of Banned Books Week. My name is Heather Darnell, and I am a library media specialist here at NOVA.

As a child, some of my most beloved books were also some of the most controversial. I can still remember campaigns to ban books such as Harry Potter and the Golden Compass from schools and libraries. Of course, adults commanding me not to read only made me want to read more, and it was through those books that I developed a love of fantasy and science fiction. They also inspired me to challenge my worldview and tap into my own creativity.

As an adult, I still find myself reading frequently challenged books. Saga, for example, is a sci-fi/fantasy graphic novel that made it to number 6 on this year’s most challenged books list. Saga is about lovers from two warring extraterrestrial races, and deals with complex but relevant themes, such as interracial relationships, racism, warfare, and pacifism. The characters are equally complex, often forced to walk a thin ethical line. It would be a pity to lose such a work from our library just because some found it offensive.

As a community college librarian, it is my duty to uphold information accessibility so that my students have the tools to think for themselves! College is a great time to challenge your own beliefs, to gain new perspectives, and to imagine a different world! And thanks to the freedom to read, you can do all of that at the library!”