Stamford Designates Itself As A 'Book Sanctuary City'

STAMFORD, CT — In response to book challenges and bans across the country in recent years, Stamford on Monday, in conjunction with Ferguson Library, announced that the city will be designated as a book sanctuary city.

The measure provides opportunities to expand access to banned and challenged books as well as provides support and protection for the freedom to read.

The library's board of trustees voted last month to make Ferguson Library a book sanctuary. Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons, Superintendent of Stamford Public Schools Dr. Tamu Lucero, and Ferguson Library officials gathered at the main library branch on Monday to announce that the city would be following suit.

In doing so, Stamford is the first municipality in Connecticut to declare itself a book sanctuary, and just the second nationwide after Chicago and their public library took the step in September 2022.

"It's crazy to think we have to do this, to create a sanctuary city to protect books in our city, but we know we have to do this," Simmons said.

According to the American Library Association, there was a surge in 2022 in attempts to ban or restrict library resources in schools, universities and public libraries.

Simmons said there's been a "direct attack" on free expression, the right to read, and subjects like race, racism, gender identity and sexual orientation.

"I couldn't be more proud to be mayor of a city that celebrates diversity, inclusion and equity, and a city that promotes learning, and seeking out the truth and sparking curiosity in our students and in learning," she said.

Ferguson Library Board of Trustees Chair Stephanie O'Shea said intellectual freedom is the main guiding principle of the library, and the choice to read what you want, to conduct research, to be entertained, are foundational rights upon which all public libraries are built.

"The Ferguson Library Board of Trustees has been following the rise in challenges to these foundational principles in Connecticut and across the country with alarm and dismay," she said.

Last February, after the Connecticut Library Association published a strong statement against censorship, the board of trustees passed a resolution in support.

As the year progressed, O'Shea said the Ferguson Library "watched with mounting unease" as more challenges were made against books and programs at libraries around the U.S.

"We're very proud to follow Chicago's lead," O'Shea said Monday . "We are so proud that our mayor has declared Stamford a book sanctuary city, making a strong statement that Stamford supports intellectual freedom, and every last person's right to read."

Ferguson Library has not been immune to complaints and criticism from the public, especially to programs offered to the community, library Chief Executive Officer Alice Knapp said.

Last September, the library received threatening voicemail messages following a Drag Storytime event on Sept. 10 which was held with Stamford Pride. It featured stories and songs from drag queen performers.

Knapp said the library has a process in which the public can submit complaints in writing, and in the past, submissions have been discussed and necessary action was taken.

But complaints recently have morphed into attacks on librarians themselves, both in Stamford and at libraries around the country, Knapp said.

"What's different this time is that the complaints that we are receiving are organized, they're not necessarily local and they are saying the same thing over and over again," Knapp said.

Knapp encouraged the public to thank librarians and educators, who are "on the frontlines" of the complaints that come in.

She also urged residents to contact their legislators about the importance of intellectual freedom, and to pick up a banned book and read it.

"The right to seek information is a foundation of our democracy," Knapp said. "Indeed, it is essential to it."

Lucero spoke with emotion about her experience growing up with books.

"I was a super shy child. I never spoke, I didn't talk to people, but books were my friends. When you think about a book being your friend, you want all of your friends to be welcome wherever they would go," she said. "Think about what we're doing now — we're saying that some of my best friends growing up are no longer welcome in this library. That just hits my heart really hard."

When she got the call from Simmons and Knapp about the designation for the city, Lucero said she wasn't surprised.

"I was just proud as I always am about the work being done here in Stamford," she noted. "This is not only good for all the adults in this room, but it's good for our 16,743 students who attend Stamford Public Schools."