Banned Books Week 2025: I Did It, You Can Too! + ✨ 2 New Resources ✨
🗯 I did it, You can Too!
This Banned Books Week, we heard from FTP folks who have been out there doing real work to help their libraries and how it’s worked in their library systems and communities. Here are some highlights:
📹 New Resource: Public Libraries 101 Video!
We all love public libraries, but often we don’t know how our local library systems function as political institutions. That’s why FTP has created this free downloadable guide to help you understand how public libraries work, and to get you started asking questions about your community library’s structure, governance, and funding.
For Banned Books Week this year, FTP launched a companion piece to our zine with additional info! Get great ideas for how to take action today in our Public Libraries 101 video. Share with friends and neighbors and come up with a plan together. (Make sure to turn on closed captions if helpful.)
📖 New Resource: Friends of the Library zine!
What does a Friends of the Library group do?
Many public libraries are supported by a separate organization known as a Friends of the Library group. Friend groups are an effective way to organize broader support for your public library, to get more deeply involved in the practical workings of your library, to make sure the library better serves everyone in the community, and to get experience that can help you get on your library’s board.
Learn more in our brand new Friends of the Library 101 Zine—created by FTP volunteers and designed by FTP steering committee member, Kruttika Susarla.
Download your own copy: Friends of the Library 101 zine