Oct 6, 2026 · 58 min · 15 segments
This week: the 44th annual Banned Books Week. This week celebrates the right to read and protecting your right to know. This past year the American Library Association, a co-sponsor of Banned Books…
Mickey HuffHost
Maria McCauleyGuestMarshall RomeroGuestEleanor GoldfieldHost
So I think that it's probably always been inside of me, but I didn't realize it until in my-- I was in my 20s.
I have always been a library user ever since I was a young tot, and then I was an arts administrator, so arts are another love of mine.
So I was an arts administrator for five years working for various performing arts organizations.
And I think, you know, the arts really connect with libraries a lot because the arts are a lot about, like, possibilities, uh, narratives, and commentary about the state of things, as well as exploration about our future.
And then through, through the arts world, I always was still going to get books and be in the library, and when I wanted to make a change, I felt like I just needed something a little bit different.
And before that, I started working part-time at the Cambridge Public Library over 30 years ago now.
... you, you really-- I really enjoy hearing the stories of h- what, what led people into this kind of extraordinary public service.
W- c- can you explain to people, you know, and we're gonna get to the specifics of Banned Books Week, the history, why it's significant.
We have seen such an extraordinary uptick in book challenges the last several years.
What, what does the library really represent in your view? And then let's talk about why it's important that we protect it.
So I believe that our libraries are foundational to the health of our democracy.
It is through our libraries where people have access to learning opportunities, um, the opportunity to think and to dream and to explore, to connect with others, to find out what is happening, uh, at the local level, the national level, and globally, to think about and learn more about one's own identity through books and other resources, as well as they're portals to another world, to learn about other people and places as well.
So to me, libraries offer agency and freedom for all of our community members to be able to thrive and to flourish in society.
So I think that it's probably always been inside of me, but I didn't realize it until in my-- I was in my 20s.
I have always been a library user ever since I was a young tot, and then I was an arts administrator, so arts are another love of mine.
So I was an arts administrator for five years working for various performing arts organizations.
And I think, you know, the arts really connect with libraries a lot because the arts are a lot about, like, possibilities, uh, narratives, and commentary about the state of things, as well as exploration about our future.
And then through, through the arts world, I always was still going to get books and be in the library, and when I wanted to make a change, I felt like I just needed something a little bit different.
And before that, I started working part-time at the Cambridge Public Library over 30 years ago now.
... you, you really-- I really enjoy hearing the stories of h- what, what led people into this kind of extraordinary public service.
W- c- can you explain to people, you know, and we're gonna get to the specifics of Banned Books Week, the history, why it's significant.
We have seen such an extraordinary uptick in book challenges the last several years.
What, what does the library really represent in your view? And then let's talk about why it's important that we protect it.
So I believe that our libraries are foundational to the health of our democracy.
It is through our libraries where people have access to learning opportunities, um, the opportunity to think and to dream and to explore, to connect with others, to find out what is happening, uh, at the local level, the national level, and globally, to think about and learn more about one's own identity through books and other resources, as well as they're portals to another world, to learn about other people and places as well.
So to me, libraries offer agency and freedom for all of our community members to be able to thrive and to flourish in society.
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