By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

Banned Books Week is Oct. 5-11 this year, and the theme is “Censorship Is So 1984…Read for your Rights.” Banned Books week is noted for bringing together the national book community in the shared support of American’s rights to read books of their own choosing, even if some of those books contain unorthodox or unpopular ideas.  

In order to affirm that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, the American Library Association (ALA) adopted basic policies that should guide library services. Known as the Library Bill of Rights, this important document had its origins here in Iowa. The Director of the Des Moines Public Library in the 1930s, Forrest Spaulding, is credited as the author.

Banned Books Week began in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of book challenges in libraries, schools and bookstores. Celebrate our freedom to read by stopping by the MJB Library to take home some books because Censorship Is So 1984. 

Upcoming Events

The Friends of the Guthrie Center Library will be meeting on Monday, Oct. 6 at 6:15 p.m. for their next meeting. Anyone who wants to support the library is invited to join the group. 

LEGO Mania Day is 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8.  Participants will be doing a special project that will be part of our annual Boo Bash. Guthrie STEM Lab will be at 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 13, and Creation Corner will be Thursday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. Remember to preregister for these fun events.

October preschool story hours have an eerie feel this month. Oct. 3 will feature skeletons. Special guest, the Reptile Lady, will be sharing creepy crawlies on Oct. 10. On Oct. 17, ghosts will be the focus while monsters will be the theme on Oct. 24.  Our last story hour of the month will have the theme of  witches. All story hours begin at 10 a.m. except the one on Oct. 10, which will meet at 11 a.m.

Families, keep the date open on Thursday, Oct. 30 for our annual Boo Bash. Coinciding with Beggars Night, the library will be open from 5-7:15 p.m. for family-friendly fun and treats.  

Book Clubs this month have exciting reads. Between the Covers Book Club, which meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 3 p.m., will be reading Riley Sager’s thriller “Home Before Dark,” a haunted house story with a twist. Maggie  inherits the home that her father claimed to be haunted. Even though she doesn’t believe that apparitions exist, Maggie experiences some unsettling events as she discovers the house’s dark history. 

Reads Well With Others book club meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. In October, they will be discussing “The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell,” a novel by Robert Dugoni. Sam Hill was born with ocular albinism, which resulted in his eyes having red pupils. Because of his eyes, the children at school called him Devil Boy or Sam Hell. Despite his mother’s faith and his father’s encouragement, school was difficult until his two misfit friends arrived on the scene. Forty years later, Sam is a small-town eye doctor who has turned his back on his painful past, until he embarks on a journey halfway around the world that allows him to see what truly matters. Join either or both book clubs to discuss these books. We have plenty of copies available for check out. 

As always, Cribbage meets each Monday morning from 9-11 a.m. in the Taylor Meeting Room. On Wednesdays, from 9-11 a.m., the Bridge Class meets in the Taylor Meeting Room. Players of all skill levels are welcome to join these groups.

Brooks is enjoying sorting and organizing cars following the story hour that focused on transportation.

Calvin R. from Chandler, Arizona, stopped by the library to read in the little house in our youth area.

Creation Corner participants made beautiful butterfly suncatchers.

Following story hour, the children enjoyed playing with cars that were on loan from the Iowa State Library.