Banned Books Week

Have you ever wondered what Banned Books Week is all about? In a word or two, it’s about celebrating all the cool (and subversive) ideas that you can find in your library.

Although “Banned Books” sounds good, the vast majority of banned books are actually “challenged” by people who do not want a book in their local public or school library. Frequent reasons given are that a book is dangerous, offensive, or somehow threatening. In other words, the challenged book conflicts with the challenger’s personal beliefs.

American libraries resist calls to ban books because we believe that wide ranges of thought are the best way to represent broad spectrums of experiences and opinions. We call this the marketplace of ideas. Libraries are places that always fight against the restrictive tyranny of the few in favor of the free access of intellectual pursuits of the many.

So, visit the Pesky Banned Books display. Pick up a Banned Book and try and see what all the fuss is about.

-MJD

From the Sager Bowl to the Super Bowl

 The Archives case in the library celebrates Robbie Francois, Class of 2004, who came to Governor Dummer Academy from Texas as a 10th grader. In addition to playing football, Robbie was also an excellent basketball player and track athlete. While here, he played defensive back and was described by his football coach, Mr. Gerry, as "physical....a force on defense." Because of his skill, Robbie caught the attention of Boston College. He committed prior to his senior year at Govs. While at BC, he played linebacker. After college, Robbie signed first with the Minnesota Vikings, then later with the Detroit Lions and eventually with the Greenbay Packers, where he was a special teams player and a backup linebacker. Robbie was playing for the Packers when they won the Super Bowl against the Steelers in 2011.

The photos in the case include the team photo from 2013, Robbie's senior year, as well as a close-up shot from the same season. The football was given to Governor's in honor of the role it played in producing a member of the winning Super Bowl team!