Topline
Former President Barack Obama appeared in a TikTok video for a public library in Illinois and penned a letter to librarians thanking them for facilitating access to books—part of a new campaign by the former president to promote book access and denounce book bans championed by the right.
Former President Barack Obama participates in conversation with Andreas Drakopoulos as part of the … [+]
Key Facts
Obama makes a cameo at the end of a video posted to TikTok on Monday by the Kankakee Public Library in Illinois, where he is seen opening a book and taking a sip out of a mug printed with the library’s logo.
The video, which features a montage of scenes showing people reading books, including Alice Walker’s The Color Purple and Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give, is captioned “reading can transport you to new worlds” with the hashtags #FreedomToRead and #LetFreedomRead.
In the letter to “the dedicated and hardworking librarians of America” posted to his Twitter account, Obama spoke out against book bans, writing that the “approach is profoundly misguided” and notes that many of the books being targeted for removal are ones written by minorities and members of the LGBTQ community.
Obama also appears in a TikTok video for the Harris County Library in Texas, where he tells the library’s “Curbside Larry” character, who has popularized the library’s TikTok account, to be more quiet: “I’m sorry, Mr. President . . .I’m just so excited about how the Harris County Public Library is making all kinds of books available to the community!” Curbside Larry replies.
Crucial Quote
“To every citizen reading this, I hope you’ll join me in reminding anyone who will listen—and even some people you think might not—that the free, robust exchange or ideas has always been at the heart of American democracy,” Obama wrote in the letter to librarians.
Key Background
Obama’s effort to promote book access comes amid a right-wing effort to ban some books from public libraries, such as those that include teachings about critical race theory, gender identity and sexual orientation and the history of racism. In 2022, 2,571 books were challenged for removal, according to the American Library Association. At least 19 states have passed or considered legislation to impose jail time for librarians who allow minors to read books deemed “harmful, obscene or sexually explicit,” according to a Washington Post analysis.
Tangent
In June, Illinois became the first state to block book bans in public libraries. The legislation requires libraries to adopt the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights or their own declaration prohibiting book bans in order to qualify for state funding.
Further Reading
Illinois Becomes First State To Effectively Ban Book Bans (Forbes)
‘Unprecedented’ Book Ban Attempts In 2021—Many With LGBTQ Themes—Library Group Reports (Forbes)
Publishing Giant Penguin Random House Joins Suit Against Florida School District’s Book Bans (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/07/17/obama-fires-back-at-book-bans-promotes-book-access-in-library-tiktok-videos/