BANNED BOOKS GO AGAINST EVERYTHING WE STAND FOR
📚 From the day we opened, we have lived by our four values: educate, inspire, engage, and entertain. Books do all of that!
📚 We also believe that if kids grow up to love books they have a much better chance of becoming good adults
📚 And yes, we believe that independent bookshops need to champion for a better community
Today, our books, our libraries, and our schools are the latest front in the culture wars. We know from research that 80% of people don’t want restrictions on reading, but somehow a small, vocal minority are shaping a “banned books” narrative. The first week in October is national “Banned Books Week,” and the team at River Bookshop wants to shine a light on this disturbing trend. Here is what we are doing:
A Banned Books display in store. All of those books will be 13% off between October 2nd and 8th. Our ongoing display will be expanded to include even more banned and challenged titles.
We have donated 25 banned books to Amherstburg’s Carnegie Library. Visit the library to check out their display!
We will be on AM 800 with Dan McDonald (time TBD), and Amherstburg’s CKBG-FM with Spencer on October 3rd at 12:30, to discuss our banned books initiative.
We are hosting a panel discussion about banned books on Thursday, October 5th at 6:30 in the Hole in the Wall above the bookshop, featuring:
- Adam Craig, Chief Librarian, Essex County Library
- Vicki Houston, Director, Greater Essex County District School Board
- Dr Selinda Berg, Librarian, University of Windsor
- Video contribution from Vickery Bowles, City Librarian, Toronto Public Library
The event is free to attend, but you must reserve your seats on Eventbrite. Click here to do so. It will also be virtually accessible on Zoom. To receive the Zoom link, email info@riverbookshop.com instead.
We love books 💪
The River Bookshop Team