As a child, I would walk the aisles of my local public library, my fingers trailing over the book spines. Sometimes, I selected an already beloved story because reading it again brought joy and comfort. Other times, I chose the unfamiliar, hoping for new, exciting, or tearful stories in another place or time.
Stories remind us that we are human. Stories inspire and challenge. They allow us to make sense of the world around us. They help us build empathy, grow beyond our own life experiences. We become more thoughtful versions of ourselves and citizens of the world.
Earlier this month, that same magical storytelling unfolded before me as author Maggie Tokuda-Hall read her book, Love in the Library, to a room full of children, parents, and grandparents at Twin Falls Public Library. Tokuda-Hall’s narrative and Yas Imamura’s wistful illustrations captivated the audience with the heartfelt telling of Tokuda-Hall’s grandparents finding love in the Minidoka library — despite the tragedy of their unjust incarceration.
Sadly, many libraries — including those in Idaho — face attacks from a small group of vocal, narrow minded people who rob others of access to information and a variety of views, thus harming our freedom to think critically and participate in civil discourse.
We have fierce fighters for intellectual freedom like Tokuda-Hall and Erin Kennedy of the Idaho Library Association (see their articles in this issue of the Irrigator) as well as the many librarians across the country. At the end of Love in the Library, Tokuda-Hall provides a true quote:
“The miracle is in us,” Tama wrote in her journal.
“As long as we believe in change, in beauty, in hope.”
That miracle is hard to find sometimes. But it is in all of us.
We ALL can take steps to ensure that our story is told and encourage intellectual curiosity in our communities. To learn more about what you can do, visit PEN America.
Help us share the story of Minidoka. Please consider making a donation of $18.99 to Friends of Minidoka to cover the cost of a copy of Love in the Library. For each donation, we will send a copy to an elementary school library in Idaho. Our hope is to reach at least 85 schools.
Thank you for your support!
