Oradell Public Library Designated a Book Sanctuary

 

Summary

The Oradell Public Library Board of Trustees has declared that the Oradell Public Library is a book sanctuary. We trust individuals to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. The Oradell Public Library Board of Trustees and the Oradell Public Library are united against book bans.

 

Resolution Declaring the Oradell Public Library as a Book Sanctuary

WHEREAS, reading is a foundational skill, essential for critical thinking, future learning, and exercising democratic freedom; and WHEREAS, books and other materials are tools for understanding complex issues; and WHEREAS, libraries provide access to books and other materials that expand our understanding of people with different backgrounds, ideas, and beliefs; and WHEREAS, all people, including young people, deserve to see themselves reflected in a library’s collection; and WHEREAS, librarians are professionals trained to make knowledge and ideas available so that people have the freedom to choose what to read; and WHEREAS as a book sanctuary library, the Oradell Public Library shall be a place to make endangered books accessible pursuant to the standards of quality and diversity that constitute the Oradell Public Library’s own collection policy; and WHEREAS, removing and banning books and other materials from public libraries represent a loss of liberty and the erosion of our state’s and our nation’s commitment to freedom of expression; and WHEREAS, book bans, by virtue of their exclusionary nature, limit choices and thereby harm communities; then THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Trustees of the Oradell Public Library endorse the following statement:

We believe in the universal human right to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media. We are united against book bans. THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we, as Oradell Public Library Trustees, will cultivate a safe space for ideas and resources, especially those that have been or are in danger of being challenged; and THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Oradell Public Library hereby designates the Oradell Public Library as a book sanctuary.RESOLUTION #1 of April 9, 2025