Our town’s libraries were all closed today due to a bomb threat that was made yesterday. It’s the last couple of days of summer for our k-8 schools (and hot!) so it would have been a good day to visit the library.
This is not something new. In the last weeks and months, multiple cities have received threats against their libraries. To my knowledge, none of these have been more than terrorist threats – no actual bombs have been found – but just the threat of violence is enough to be disruptive and remind us that no space is completely safe.
And libraries should be safe spaces. Beyond a place to find a book, on weeks like this one, they will host many people who need shelter from extreme weather, provide resources to apply for jobs or engage in educational activities. I sometimes teach my evening online classes in a library study room to gain a little distance from our toddler’s bedtime.
Terrorist threats against libraries should be a reminder to us that there are people who seek to limit our access to knowledge. Words and ideas are powerful. The things we say, read and think change who we are – if they didn’t the libraries would not be threatened, or threatening.
So what are you reading? How are you engaging your children in complex, difficult ideas through books? Are you using books to start hard conversations to help your children become better citizens than we ourselves are?
And no, I don’t use the language of a terrorist threat lightly. I grew up in Ireland in the 80s and 90s, where I experienced many disruptions due to bomb threats to schools, trains and even embassies. And even once they stop being scary, they continue to be a demonstration of power by a group who seeks influence, who seeks to terrorize the community.
The threat of words is real to some people. Real enough to threaten their existence. Let’s make sure we are using them to the full extent of their power.
