ALA Shares News Of President Obama's Support For Libraries
/From ALA Senior Director, Public Policy & Government Relations Alan Inouye:
President Barack Obama published an open letter to librarians this morning, expressing his support for libraries and library workers amidst rising book challenges and subsequent attacks on those defending the right to read. His letter was shared online and across his social media pages (in addition to the social media accounts for Michelle Obama and the Obama Foundation), with a note directing followers to the Unite Against Book Bans website and encouraging support for the campaign.
See links to the social posts below.
President Obama:
The Obama Foundation:
To ensure that the letter would reach its intended recipients, President Obama’s team requested that we share the letter with the ALA community. You’ll notice that the letter has been amplified across ALA’s social media pages and shared via American Libraries: Open Letter from Former President Obama Supports Librarians | American Libraries Magazine
Also, ALA contributed to this exclusive story in the Washington Post this morning, which highlights the recent increase in book bans/challenges and President Obama’s efforts on social media (particularly, TikTok and Instagram) to bring awareness to the issue in hopes of rallying support for libraries and library workers.
In a time of unprecedented challenge from well-organized and funded (and “astroturfed” rather than grass roots) groups, every voice raised clapping back is important. Thank you, President Obama, for your passion and wisdom in support for the most fundamental of American rights.