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To: Glen Ridge Public Library Board of Trustees

Glen Ridge United Against Book Bans

EveryLibrary was proud to support the work of Glen Ridge United Against Book Bans who recently won a campaign against book bans in Glen Ridge, New Jersey.

Members of the “Citizens Defending Education” group in Glen Ridge failed to ban the following six books from the Glen Ridge Public Library: 

All Boys Aren't Blue - George M. Johnson
Here and Queer - Rowan Ellis
This Book is Gay - Juno Dawson
It's Not the Stork - Robie H. Harris
It's Perfectly Normal - Robie H. Harris
You Know, Sex - Cory Silverberg

EveryLibrary supported this campaign through the tools on the Fight for the First Platform. The Fight for the First platform allowed local organizers to launch a petition and send mass communications to their petition signers to help them organize. Besides the digital tools at Fight For the First, EveryLibrary supported the campaign with $500 in digital ads to put the petition in front of local community members and EveryLibrary offered pro-bono consulting with the campaign leadership.

Almost 3,000 Americans signed the petition against the book bans, including more than 1500 Glen Ridge residents protecting resources in their local library.

The local campaign team ran one of the strongest field campaigns we’ve seen and drove over 750 community members to the board meeting to stand against book bans with t-shirts, speeches at the meeting, and signs decrying the banning of books. 

The Board of Trustees unanimously supported keeping all six books on the shelves that were targeted by book banners. 

“More than 750 supporters showed up to fill the Ridgewood Ave School Auditorium to hear 50 Glen Ridge friends, neighbors, parents, and students speak, sharing their personal perspectives on how representation in the library matters, how these 6 books matter, and how libraries are the one location where we all can find ourselves, whoever you are and whatever your interests.” – Glen Ridge United Against Book Bans

The meeting was covered by all 4 of the major NYC TV networks as well as multiple print articles summarizing the outcome.

NJ Spotlight News, PIX 11, ABC 7, NorthJersey.com

No Glen Ridge resident should limit what other community members and other parents’ children read. What people read is a decision that they should make for themselves and their families. No books of any type should be banned from the Glen Ridge Public Library.

Why is this important?

Members of the “Citizens Defending Education” group in Glen Ridge are attempting to ban the following six books from the Glen Ridge Public Library:

1. All Boys Aren't Blue - George M. Johnson
2. Here and Queer - Rowan Ellis
3. This Book is Gay - Juno Dawson
4. It's Not the Stork - Robie H. Harris
5. It's Perfectly Normal - Robie H. Harris
6. You Know, Sex - Cory Silverberg

The Library Director has confirmed that each of the above books meets the Library Materials Selection Policy. These books all contain content related to the LGBTQ+ community and it is clear that the CDE group is targeting this group here in Glen Ridge.

Please sign the petition and come to the February 8th, 2023 Library Board of Trustees Meeting to voice your opposition to this proposed ban. During this meeting, the CDE’s appeal of the Library Director's decision to reject the ban will be discussed and voted on. The meeting will be held in the auditorium of Ridgewood Avenue School at 7:30 PM.

240 Ridgewood Ave, Glen Ridge, NJ 07028, USA

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Updates

2023-03-01 12:02:40 -0500

Petition is successful with 2,979 signatures

2023-01-24 21:44:01 -0500

1,000 signatures reached

2023-01-24 14:37:54 -0500

500 signatures reached

2023-01-23 20:51:55 -0500

100 signatures reached

2023-01-23 18:05:39 -0500

50 signatures reached

2023-01-23 17:06:43 -0500

25 signatures reached

2023-01-23 16:09:16 -0500

10 signatures reached
https://www.fightforthefirst.org/petitions/glen-ridge-united-against-book-bans
www.fightforthefirst.org
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