October 2025

October 2025 Standard News article

Gaylee Harris, Director

Montgomery City Public Library

October is an important month for the Montgomery City Public Library. Since October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, MCPL and Touch of Hope will host a supply drive for care kits and purses for women leaving a domestic violence situation.  Touch of Hope’s goal is to “give hope by providing a purse or reusable bag filled with essentials and love to those women, girls, and anyone who has bravely escaped abuse in search of a better way of life.”

Please bring full-size versions of the following items to MCPL during the entire month of October:  shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, tooth paste, tooth brushes, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, Q-tips, safety razors, combs & brushes, floss, ChapStick, Emery boards, hair ties, tissue packs.  Trial and hotel size products can trigger PTSD.  Thank you to those who donated new and gently used purses this summer.  They will be used to help those who are leaving domestic violence situations and humanitarian misfortunes.

Another important part of October is Banned Book Week.  This year Banned Book Week is October 5-11, 2025.  Books are banned or challenged for a variety of reasons, often reflecting social, political, or cultural tensions within a community or country.

Books may be banned for containing profanity, sexually explicit material, or depictions of violence that some groups consider inappropriate, especially for children or teens.  Some books are challenged because they contain ideas, themes, or depictions that conflict with certain religious beliefs or promote secularism.  Governments or groups may ban books that are critical of their policies, leaders, or ideologies, or that promote ideas considered subversive or dangerous.  Books that address racism, slavery, or cultural oppression are sometimes banned due to discomfort with these topics or because they challenge prevailing social norms. Works that discuss LGBTQ+ identities, gender roles, or nontraditional family structures may be banned by those who consider such topics immoral or harmful.  Some believe that reading about certain behaviors (such as drug use, rebellion, or suicide) might encourage imitation among readers, particularly youth.  In some societies, book banning is a tool to suppress dissent, limit access to information, and control public opinion.

We should not ban books because doing so limits freedom of expression, restricts access to diverse ideas, and undermines open discussion, cornerstones of a healthy, democratic society.

Here are several reasons why banning books is discouraged.  Everyone has the right to read, explore, and form their own opinions. Banning books infringes on this fundamental freedom.  Exposure to a wide range of viewpoints, even those we disagree with, helps people develop critical thinking skills and empathy.  Books often address complex social, historical, or cultural issues. Banning them can prevent important conversations and understanding of different experiences.  Literature by or about marginalized groups can foster a more inclusive and empathetic society. Banning such books can erase essential voices and stories.

Allowing any group to ban books sets a precedent for broader censorship, which can be abused to control information and suppress dissenting opinions.  Individuals and families can make their own choices about what to read. Book bans take away personal agency and place decisions in the hands of authorities.  Many books now considered classics were once banned for controversial content.

For those parents that are concerned about what their children are checking out, the Montgomery City Public Library has parents or legal guardians complete an informed consent for library use by a minor form stating whether the minor can checkout materials on their own or must have a parent/guardian present. If a parent decides a book is not acceptable for their child, it is the parent’s responsibility to monitor their child’s reading material.  MCPL believes parents and legal guardians are responsible for the library materials viewed, browsed, and checked out by their children. 

In short, rather than banning books, MCPL encourages open discussion and opportunities that can empower people to engage thoughtfully with challenging subjects.