A Library Without Fiction: The Public Library of U.S. Diplomacy April 9, 2013

Imagine a library without fiction. One where everything in it really happened. Introducing The WIKILEAKS Public Library of US Diplomacy (PlusD). Providing users with the world’s largest “searchable collection of United States confidential, or formerly confidential, diplomatic communications…The collection covers US involvements in, and diplomatic or intelligence reporting on, every country on earth. It is the single most significant body of geopolitical material ever published.” For its grand opening its racks are filled with 1,707,500 diplomatic…

A Bookless Future: "What Other People Think is Wrong" January 28, 2013

Short video created by Eden Ames for the Youth Free Expression Project Film Contest held by the National Coalition Against Censorship. The theme of this year’s contest: You’re Reading What?!? ” A young boy, in his curiosity of a book his mother blatantly disapproves of, discovers the costly blinding effects of close-mindedness and makes up his mind to reject such a disposition resolving to understand varying perspectives through broad reading.” Watch all 12 semifinalists here and don’t…

Bad Dog! A 17th Century Canine Book Review December 11, 2012

The illustration above appears in the 1697 book, Critique historique, politique, morale, economique et comique sur les lotteries by Gregorio Leti. Leti was a vocal critic of the Catholic Church and of the Pope. His works earned him a spot on the Church’s infamous list of prohibited books, the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. As a close up of the image reveals the dogs didn’t take to kindly to the stream of books invading their space. And here is the…

Hooray for the King County Library System October 18, 2012

Here, in its entirety, is a letter of support sent by the National Coalition Against Censorship, American Booksellers Foundation For Free Expression and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund to the Seattle area library system for their response to a recent challenge of Hero Heel 2 (Digital Manga Publishing). Hero Heel Letter KCLS 10.18 and here is the Amazon product description for the book which was published in 2008. “Minami confessed his feelings to Sawada, and…

Turn on the Light: Read Banned Books September 14, 2012

Bookmans, an independent bookstore with six locations in Arizona, has created this beautiful video for the 2012 Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out, Enjoy!