Westfield Library Takes Stance Against Book Bans, Passes Resolution

WESTFIELD, NJ — In response to the upward trend of schools banning books from their libraries on topics such as race, racism, abortion, LGBTQ representation and more, Westfield Memorial Library is pushing back against this "freedom of expression."

The Library and the Board of Trustees passed a resolution on Wednesday, Sept. 28 against books bans, stating that "individuals should be trusted to make their own decisions about what they read and believe."

The resolution also states that "parents should not be making decisions for other parents’ children about what they read."

Westfield Public Schools is no stranger to book bans itself, as the district is one of three in New Jersey that have officially banned certain books from its school libraries.

The book "Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race" by Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli was officially banned from Westfield's libraries after a formal complaint was made about the book in Sept. of 2021.

A review committee created by the district decided that the book will not be placed in the general public library, but rather it would be best used as an "interactive read-aloud where educated professionals can skillfully present this information and help facilitate important conversations."

Read more: Banned Books In America: Westfield Public Schools Makes The List

Patch asked library director Allen McGinley if the passage of the resolution against book bans was a reaction to Westfield Public School District's own book ban. This was his response:

"This resolution came to the Board at their September meeting in response to the recent surge in challenges to intellectual freedom and attempted book bans in public libraries across the country. Protecting an individual's right to read has been one of the fundamental principals of the library bill of rights, since its original adoption by the American Library Association in 1939," McGinley said.

Patch also reached out to the Library Board of Trustees for their perspective on the recent resolution but has yet to receive a response. This article will be updated as needed.

The resolution lists numerous arguments against book bans. For instance, it states that "limiting people's access to books does not protect them from life's complex and challenging issues," and "removing and banning books from public libraries is a slippery slope to government censorship and the erosion of our country’s commitment to freedom of expression."

You can read the full resolution on the library's website here.

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