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What makes a book so powerful that people want to prevent it from being read? This is the ever-burning question many people ask about banned books. There is so much tension in the literary world around censorship and banning books that there’s an entire week in September dedicated to openly discussing these books which make some people ‘uncomfortable.’ You will also have a chance to answer the ever-burning question in our Banned Books Week Contest (click on Read More for details).Read More Read More

Inspired by our popular distribution of free Covid 19 tests, the Library is taking the next step – free blood tests! “Like all new services, the introduction of this one did have some teething pains,” Library Director Laura Eckley said. A shortage of patron volunteers for training was alleviated by a 15% discount on existing fine balances. “Those volunteers worked so hard. You could see it in their pale, exhausted faces at the end of the day. We couldn’t have done it without them,” Eckley said.

Staff confidence is improving by leaps and bounds.Read More Read More

First there was the flood. Now, just when we were seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, a plague of locusts has further delayed restoration efforts. “I cannot tell you how disappointed I am,” said Library Director Laura Eckley. “After months of waiting, the replacement shelving was actually en route to the Library when the plague struck. We had to turn it around until we could clean up this mess.” Head of Maintenance Shawn Grey wasn’t too happy either. Brandishing the slimy snow shovel he used in the clean up, Grey said he much preferred removing six inches of snow and ice to six inches of dead and dying locusts.Read More Read More

Complaints about the Library’s lack of parking began immediately after trolley service on Larchmont Avenue was discontinued in 1927. No more! Our new rooftop parking garage provides 50 spaces spread over five stories. “It was one of the trickier jobs I’ve ever had, both from and engineering standpoint and politically,” said Lead Engineer Isambard Brunel, partner at Roebling & Brunel. “However, once we were able to persuade people of the necessity of removing the wasteful landscaping at the sides of the building, the engineering just fell into place. Aren’t the ramps beautiful?”Read More Read More

“Actual books are a total pain in the neck,” said Head of Reference Liam Hegarty. “You’ve got to catalog them, label them, put them on a shelf (in a specific place no less) and then you’ve got to keep track of them when someone borrows them.” Hegarty stressed that the Library was only discontinuing tangible books not the highly popular eBooks. He also said the collection would not disappear all at once. “The books will be deaccessioned over a period of time and in a thoughtful manner,” he said. “First we’ll eliminate trivial stuff like literary criticism and poetry.Read More Read More