* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Library Safe Harbor News Conference on August 26, 2026.] [00:00:05] GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY. I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FUENTES SIEGEL ELLIS, AND VELAZQUEZ FOR CO-SPONSORING THIS RESOLUTION. AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL FOR JOINING US TO STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT TO READ TO HANNAH TERRELL, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES, AND CAROLYN FOOTE, LONGTIME LIBRARIAN AND FOUNDER OF TEXAS FREEDOM FIGHTERS. TODAY WE'RE BUILDING ON AN AUSTRIAN TRADITION OF BEING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY BY STANDING UP FOR INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM. IN 2022 WHEN ATTACKS ON LIBRARIES WERE BEGINNING TO INTENSIFY, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TOOK A STAND AND PASSED THE FREEDOM TO READ RESOLUTION. AUSTIN HAS ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO TAKE A STAND. THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY REASONS I CALL IT HOME. 2022 IS ALSO LYNN DISTRICT SIX. THE ROUND ROCK ISD PART OF AUSTIN TOOK A STAND AGAINST BANNING BOOKS WE ORGANIZED IN SUPPORT OF DIVERSITY AND CURRICULUM HISTORY THAT REFLECTS ALL OF US, NOT JUST A FEW, AND ACCEPTANCE OF STUDENTS WHO DIDN'T FIT THE TRADITIONAL MOLD, THANKS FOR WHETHER BECAUSE OF SEXUALITY, GENDER, RACE, ETHNICITY, OR DISABILITY IN 2022, AND IN EVERY ELECTION SINCE THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT SIX HAVE VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY FOR A SCHOOL BOARD THAT CHOOSES ACCEPTANCE, DIVERSITY, AND A CLEAR SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, AS WELL AS MOST RECENTLY ELECTED ME TO REPRESENT THEM HERE ON CITY COUNCIL. BY THE TIME MY SON READ NEW KID BY JERRY CRAFT IN 2021, AS HE WAS FINISHING FIFTH GRADE, IT HAD ALREADY BEEN AWARDED THE NEWBERRY MEDAL, THE KIRKS PRIZE FOR YOUNG READERS LITERATURE, AND THE CORETTA SCOTT KING AUTHOR AWARD. THE GRAPHIC NOVEL PORTRAYS THE EXPERIENCE OF A YOUNG BLACK STUDENT WHO IS THE NEW KID AT A WEALTHY PRIVATE SCHOOL WITH VERY FEW BLACK STUDENTS. I AM NOT USED TO READING Y'ALL. BY 2022, NEW KID WAS APPEARING ON LISTS OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS TO BAN AND IT REMAINS ON LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK'S LIST OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS THAT SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES. TO THIS DAY, NO , OTHER AWARD-WINNING BOOKS THAT REFLECT THE EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE ALSO BEEN TARGETED. LIKE THE BLUEST EYE BY TONY MORRISON, STAMPED BY ABRAHAM X KENDI, AND JASON REYNOLDS, AND CAST THE ORIGINS OF OUR DISCONTENT BY ISABEL WILKERSON, AS HAVE BOOKS THAT DESCRIBE EXPERIENCES OF THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY. SEEING ONE'S OWN LIVED EXPERIENCES REFLECTED IN STORIES IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A SAFE SPACE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO PROCESS COMPLEX FEELINGS, IMPROVE THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING, AND BUILD THE CAPACITY TO ARTICULATE DIFFICULT EMOTIONS. READING A DIVERSE ARRAY OF BOOKS ALSO OFFERS INSIGHT INTO THE EXPERIENCE OF PEOPLE IN SITUATIONS DIFFERENT FROM OUR OWN, WHICH BUILDS EMPATHY, CONNECTION, AND COMMUNITY. WHILE PUBLIC SCHOOL, LIBRARIES AND CLASSROOM COLLECTIONS WERE THE FIRST TO BE CHALLENGED, MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES HAVE ALSO COME UNDER SCRUTINY BY GROUPS DETERMINED TO RESTRICT OUR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO FREELY ACCESS A RANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AND PERSPECTIVES. WITH PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES STILL UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE TO REMOVE BOOKS FROM THEIR SHELVES. IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT CITY LIBRARIES CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ACCESS. SO UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S LIBRARY COMMISSION, AND TOGETHER WITH MY COLLEAGUES, I'M BRINGING A RESOLUTION DECLARING THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS A BOOK SAFE HARBOR, WHICH REAFFIRMS AUSTIN'S LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM, OPEN ACCESS TO INFORMATION, AND THE FREEDOM TO READ. I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES. DO YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? OH, YES. OKAY. . ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. HOW'S EVERYONE DOING? GOOD AFTERNOON. AFTERNOON, YO. GOOD AFTERNOON. OKAY. MY NAME IS VANESSA FUENTES. I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT DISTRICT TWO ON CITY COUNCIL, AND I'M PROUD TO STAND HERE TODAY IN DEFENSE OF SOMETHING WE ALL LOVE AND CHERISH THE FREEDOM TO READ, LEARN, AND EXPRESS IDEAS. THIS IS PERSONAL FOR ALL OF US. IT'S PERSONAL FOR ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN FREE SPEECH, FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST THEMSELVES IN A BOOK, OR TO ANYONE WHO HAVE, WHO HAS FOUND THEMSELVES THEIR HISTORY, THEIR IDENTITY, THEIR HUMANITY, BY READING. I'M A BIG READER MYSELF. I TRY TO READ A NEW BOOK EVERY MONTH. IN FACT, DURING MY MATERNITY LEAVE, I READ THE ENTIRE AAR SERIES, A COURT OF THORN ROSES , AND SO KNOW THAT WHICH WAS ALSO LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK REFERENCED ONE OF THE AAR BOOKS IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE THE OTHER DAY, BUT I DIGRESS. HERE WE ARE. WE ARE A STATE THAT LOVES TO TOUT INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM AT EVERY TURN. IT'S NOW THE STATE THAT IS TELLING PEOPLE WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO LEARN. SO LET'S [00:05:01] TALK ABOUT IT. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO BAN. BOOKS LIKE MAYA ANGELOU'S, I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS, HOW TO BE YOUNG ANTI-RACIST BY IRAM X KENDI, AND NICK STONE, AND EVEN GARY PAULSON'S HATCHET A BOOK MOST OF US HAS READ IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. AM I RIGHT? WE'VE ALL READ HATCHET. WHEN I SEE THESE LISTS, I SERIOUSLY CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER, HAVE THEY EVEN READ THESE BOOKS THEMSELVES, RIGHT? DO THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR PURPOSE, THEIR CONTEXT, THEIR AUDIENCE? AND WHAT EXACTLY IS SO DANGEROUS ABOUT LEARNING HISTORY, ABOUT UNDERSTANDING YOUR BODY OR MAKING SENSE OF YOUR FEELINGS ALMOST EVERY TIME? THE ANSWER IS NO, THEY HAVEN'T, AND THEY DON'T. AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DOUBT THEY EVEN CARE BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT CHALLENGES A BIGOTS OVERSIMPLIFIED VIEW OF THE WORLD OR REALLY ANYTHING THAT FORCES THEM TO THINK CRITICALLY GETS LABELED AS A THREAT. HISTORY HAS NEVER LOOKED KINDLY ON. THOSE WHO HAVE BANNED BOOKS OR TRIED TO CONTROL WHAT PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO LEARN, IT WON'T BE ANY DIFFERENT THIS TIME. SO TO PUT IT PLAINLY, DECADES FROM NOW, EVERYONE WILL CLAIM THEY WERE ALWAYS AGAINST THESE BOOK BANDS. BUT HERE WE DON'T HAVE TO CLAIM IT BECAUSE WE ARE PROVING IT RIGHT NOW. SO I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER, CRYSTAL LANE FOR HER STRONG LEADERSHIP AND CHAMPIONING THIS INITIATIVE. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBER, MIKE SIEGEL FOR STANDING ALONGSIDE US. AND THANK YOU TO EVERY ADVOCATE, TO EVERY LIBRARIAN, TO EVERY PARENT, AND TO EVERY READER THAT IS HERE TODAY WITH US. YOU'RE ALREADY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. NO NEED TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES, . WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE SIEGEL, WHO REPRESENTS DISTRICT SEVEN. THANKS. GOOD AFTERNOON, Y'ALL. I'M MIKE SIEGEL, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT SEVEN, AND I JUST WANNA START BY THANKING COUNCIL MEMBER LANE FOR SPEARHEADING THIS INITIATIVE. DECLARE AUSTIN A, A SAFE HARBOR FOR BOOKS. AND, UH, FUNDAMENTALLY, UH, I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT SEVEN, ALSO AS A PARENT, UH, RAISING TWO CHILDREN IN THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY WHO ARE ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE 11 AND 14 YEARS OF AGE, WHO NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS BOOKS THAT, THAT ENRICH THEIR LIVES AND HELP THEM DEVELOP AS CRITICAL THINKERS. I ALSO JOINED THIS EVER AS A FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER WHO TAUGHT THIRD GRADE AND FIFTH GRADE AND EIGHTH GRADE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THREE STATES, AND KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT EVERY CHILD HAVE ACCESS TO LITERATURE AND BOOKS THAT STIMULATE THEIR MIND, THAT CHALLENGE THEIR CONCEPTIONS, AND HELP THEM GROW AS HUMAN BEINGS. UH, TODAY I BROUGHT ONE OF, UH, MY FAVORITE BAND BOOKS. UM, I HAD TO CHOOSE FROM MANY ON MY SHELVES, UH, BUT THIS IS, UH, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X, WHICH WAS A BOOK I FIRST READ WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND READ AGAIN LATER IN LIFE, AND WHICH WAS REALLY POWERFUL FOR, FOR ME TO LEARN ABOUT. UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T HAD THE PLEASURE, DEFINITELY RECOMMEND READING THIS BOOK, BUT IT TEACHES YOU SO MUCH ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY. YOU KNOW, YOU LEARN HOW, UH, AS A YOUNG MAN, MALCOLM X UH, EXPERIENCED FRANKLY RACIST VIOLENCE WHEN, UH, YOU KNOW, WHITE SUPREMACISTS FORCES TARGETED HIS FAMILY AND TARGETED HIS FATHER. YOU LEARN HOW HE STRUGGLED WITH FALLING INTO A LIFE OF CRIME. BUT THEN WHEN HE WAS SENT TO PRISON, WELL, NOT ONLY DID HE EXPERIENCE THE BRUTALITY OF OUR PRISON SYSTEM IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT HE, HE MET PEOPLE THAT ELEVATED HIS CONSCIOUSNESS AND, YOU KNOW, HE JOINED THE NATION OF ISLAM AND LATER BECAME A PRACTITIONER OF THE MUSLIM FAITH ISLAM. AND YOU LEARN HOW ALSO HE BECAME A, A POLITICAL LEADER IN, IN THIS COUNTRY, HOW HE, UH, MOBILIZED, YOU KNOW, BLACK WORKING CLASS, UH, YOU KNOW, FOLKS AROUND THE COUNTRY, HOW HE HELPED BUILD A POLITICAL MOVEMENT TO FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS IN THIS COUNTRY AND EMPOWER THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN AMERICA. AND THIS IS JUST ONE BOOK OF THOUSANDS THAT IF THEY HAD THEIR WAY, UH, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PATRICK, AND THESE OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE SUPPORTING BOOK BANS WOULD PROHIBIT OUR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND OUR COMMUNITIES FROM ACCESSING. AND TO ME, FUNDAMENTALLY, THAT'S BAD FOR ALL OF US. UM, CRITICAL THINKING IS A SKILL THAT WE ALL NEED IN DEMOCRACY. CRITICAL THINKING IN THE AGE OF, UH, INTERNET MASS INFORMATION IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, RIGHT? WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH, DISTINGUISH TRUTH FROM FICTION. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT OUR LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS ARE DOING. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN PARTICIPATE TO MAKE OUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE, AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS BOOKS TO DO THAT. SO I'M ABSOLUTELY PROUD THAT WE HAVE A, A LIBRARY DIRECTOR LIKE HANNAH TERRELL WHO'S GONNA STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT TO READ. I'M ABSOLUTELY HONORED TO BE A PART OF A CITY COUNCIL THAT'S GONNA STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT TO READ. AND I HOPE ALL OF US WILL FIND A BAND, BOOK OR TWO IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO, TO ENJOY AND READ AGAIN SO THAT WE CAN REALLY CELEBRATE IDEAS LIKE LIBERTY AND INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION, BECAUSE THESE ARE ESSENTIAL [00:10:01] FOR A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY. UH, THANKS SO MUCH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE. THANK YOU COLLEAGUES. AND, UM, I'LL READ A BRIEF STATEMENT FROM MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, WHO, UH, WANTED TO BE HERE TODAY. UH, HE SAYS, I'M PROUD TO BE SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION TODAY. OUR LIBRARIES ARE AND SHOULD REMAIN SAFE AND WELCOMING FOR ALL AUSTINITES DESIGNATING OUR CITY AS A BOOK SAFE HARBOR MEANS PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY'S FREEDOM TO ACCESS FREE AND DIVERSE BOOKS. AND NOW I'D LIKE TO PASS IT OFF TO MS. HANNAH TERRELL, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES, WHO HAS MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN ADVOCACY UNDER HER BELT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, ELAINE. GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US HERE AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, OUR FLAGSHIP LOCATION OF OUR 24 LOCATION PUBLIC LIBRARY. AGAIN, MY NAME IS HANNAH TERRELL AND I'M THE PROUD DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES FOR OUR SYSTEM. THIS YEAR, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY IS CELEBRATING OUR 100TH ANNIVERSARY FOR A CENTURY. THIS INSTITUTION HAS SERVED A CITY THAT HAS GROWN, EVOLVED AND BECOME MORE DIVERSE IN COUNTLESS WAYS. AND THE LIBRARY HAS GROWN, EVOLVED AND BECOME MORE DIVERSE RIGHT ALONGSIDE IT. BUT ONE PART OF OUR MISSION HAS REMAINED CONSTANT, ENSURING THAT THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN HAVE ACCESS TO IDEAS, INFORMATION, STORIES, AND PERSPECTIVES THAT HELP THEM LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD AND MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES ABOUT WHAT THEY READ. INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND THE FREEDOM TO READ ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE WORK OF A PUBLIC LIBRARY. NOT EVERY STORY OR EXPERIENCE IS FOR EVERYBODY, BUT ANYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND SOMETHING FOR THEMSELVES AT THEIR PUBLIC LIBRARY. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT TO BUILD A COLLECTION THAT REFLECTS ONLY ONE PERSPECTIVE OR ONLY ONE EXPERIENCE. IT IS TO BUILD A COLLECTION THAT SERVES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WITH MATERIALS THAT REFLECT THE WIDE RANGE OF INTERESTS, BACKGROUNDS, VIEWPOINTS, AND EXPERIENCES OF ALL EVERYBODY SAY ALL, ALL OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CALL AUSTIN HOME. WE TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY IN EVERY COMMUNITY, BUT ESPECIALLY A CITY THAT WITH A CREATIVE LEGACY LIKE AUSTIN, LIBRARIES ALSO HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE STORYTELLERS THEMSELVES, THE AUTHORS, THE ARTIST, THE OTHER CREATORS WHOSE WORK GIVES US OPPORTUNITIES TO ENCOUNTER EXPERIENCES BEYOND OUR OWN. A STRONG LIBRARY COLLECTION MAKE SPACE FOR THOSE VOICES AND GIVES READERS THE FREEDOM TO DISCOVER THEM. THE CONVERSATION AROUND AUSTIN AS A BOOK SAFE HARBOR REAFFIRMS THE VALUE OUR COMMUNITY PLACES ON THAT WORK AND ON THE ROLE PUBLIC LIBRARIES PLAY IN SAFEGUARDING ACCESS TO INFORMATION. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO AUTHORS AGAINST BOOK BANDS WHO FIRST APPROACH THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION, OUR FUNDING PARTNER, AND LATER RESULTED IN A LIBRARY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL. WE ARE FORTUNATE TO SERVE A CITY THAT PLACES SUCH A HIGH VALUE ON LIBRARIES, LEARNING, CREATIVITY AND ACCESS. FOR 100 YEARS, GENERATIONS OF AUSTINITES HAVE SUPPORTED THIS INSTITUTION AND HELP SHAPE IT INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY. WE APPRECIATE THAT TRUST AND WE UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH IT. AS WE CELEBRATE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES FIRST 100 YEARS AND LOOK AHEAD TO OUR NEXT CENTURY OF SERVICE, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY CAN SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN THEIR LIBRARY, ENCOUNTER NEW IDEAS, AND FREELY EXPLORE THE STORIES AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THEM. WE ARE HONORED TO CONTINUE THIS WORK AND DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY [00:15:01] AND OUR CITY LEADERS AS WE DO. SPECIAL THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL LANE, D SIX LEAD SPONSORING OFFICE, AND ORGANIZING THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY AND CO CITY SPON, CO CITY COUNCIL SPONSORS FUENTES, D TWO, SEAGO, D SEVEN ELLIS, D EIGHT, AND VELAZQUEZ D THREE. ALSO WANNA THANK THE LIBRARY COMMISSION AND THEIR ADVOCACY AND THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT, EXTRA SPECIAL OUT. SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE A PL STAFF ALL OVER THE CITY WHO MAKES THIS ACCESS MAGIC HAPPEN EVERY DAY. HERE'S TO 100 YEARS OF A PL, AND WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED. I WANT TO END WITH A QUOTE, IF I'M REMEMBERED, 100 YEARS FROM NOW. I HOPE IT WILL NOT BE FOR LOOKS, BUT FOR BOOKS. THAT QUOTE IS FROM THE BOOK, LADY COUNTRY MUSIC LEGEND DOLLY PARTON. MAY SHE REST IN PEACE. HELLO EVERYONE. I WANT TO THANK KRISTA LANE AND HANNAH FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY AND FOR THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING AUSTIN AS A BOOK SAFE HARBOR. I AM A CO-FOUNDER OF THE TEXAS FREEDOM FIGHTERS, A GRASSROOTS GROUP OF LIBRARIANS THAT STARTED FIVE YEARS AGO TO PROTECT INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM IN SCHOOL AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN TEXAS ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS AS A PRACTICING LIBRARIAN FOR THREE DECADES, AND NOW A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZER FIGHTING CENSORSHIP FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE VALUE OF THIS SUPPORT FOR LIBRARIES FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN. BOTH PUBLIC AND SCHOOL LIBRARIES HAVE FACED POLITICAL PRESSURE, BOTH IN TEXAS AND ACROSS MUCH OF THE COUNTRY, TO EXCLUDE SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM OUR SHELVES. PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT CRAYONS AND ELLIE LIESEL'S KNIGHT HAVE BEEN SWEPT INTO THE MIX. AND EVEN SOME BOOKS FROM DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY BOOKS ABOUT RACE AND RACISM, ABOUT WOMEN, ABOUT OUR L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, OUR HISTORY AND OUR VERY RIGHTS HAVE COME UNDER FIRE. IN FACT, DATA BEING GATHERED RIGHT NOW IS SHOWING THAT TEXAS MAY TOP THE NATION THIS YEAR IN BOOK REMOVALS. BUT AS LIBRARIANS, WE KNOW THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS FOR ALL OF US TO PROTECT ALL OF OUR STORIES AND LIBRARIES. AND THE LIBRARY WORKERS WITHIN THEM ARE THE VALIANT GUARDIANS OF OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. LIBRARIES ENSURE THAT WE ALL HAVE ACCESS TO A BROAD RANGE OF VIEWPOINTS SO THAT WE CAN BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN OUR DEMOCRACY. LIBRARIANS CAREFULLY CHOOSE BOOKS THROUGH READING REVIEWS, KNOWING THEIR COMMUNITY, ANALYZING AWARD LISTS, AND LISTENING TO COMMUNITY REQUESTS, ALL TO MAKE READING EXCITING AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. BECAUSE AS OUR DEAR DEPARTED DOLLY PARTON KNEW BOOKS AND LIBRARY ACCESS ARE A KEY TO OPENING THE WORLD BEYOND OUR OWN. I REMEMBER THE BOOK MOBILE THAT STOPPED AT OUR CORNER ON MANK ROAD WHEN I WAS A KID, AND LATER ON I REMEMBER WALKING A FEW BLOCKS TO MIN CHAKA LIBRARY WHERE I LATER GOT A JOB, AND HOW STACKS OF BOOKS FILLED MY SUMMER AFTERNOONS WITH BOOKS SPARKING MY IMAGINATION, LIKE EZ JACK KEATS, THE SNOWY DAY, EB WHITES, STEWART LITTLE BETTY, MCDONALD'S, MRS. PIGA, WIGGLE, AND OF COURSE, EVERY LOUISA MAY ALCOTT BOOK I COULD GET MY HANDS ON BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE OUTSPOKEN LIKE JOE FROM PPI LONG STOCKING TO THE OUTSIDERS, TO JUDY BLOOM, TO RALPH ELLISON'S, THE INVISIBLE MAN. THE LIBRARY WAS THERE AS I GREW UP FOR ALL OF US LIBRARIES INSPIRE US AND PROVIDE READING JOY AS WELL AS ACCESS TO EDUCATION. PARENTING HELP, HELP STARTING A BUSINESS, RETIREMENT PLANNING, AND TO SIMPLY ENGAGE IN LIFELONG LEARNING OUR RIGHTS FREELY PRACTICED IN A DEMOCRACY. AND I WANT TO TAKE A PERSONAL NOTE TO SAY THAT AFTER BEING ENGAGED IN THIS MYSELF ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS FOR FIVE YEARS, THIS IS SO WELCOME. THIS DAY IS SO WELCOME WHEN OUR OWN LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, ONCE AGAIN, ACCOSTED LIBRARIES [00:20:01] AND LIBRARIANS, IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE STAND UP FOR THE FREEDOM TO READ IN THIS DEMOCRACY WITH READING DECLINING AND LITERACY SCORES, DROPPING, SHINING A BEACON OF LIGHT ON THE GOOD THAT LIBRARIES DO, AND PROTECTING THE FREEDOM OF EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO READ AS THEY CHOOSE IS SO NEEDED. SO THANK YOU CON COUNCILWOMAN LANE FOR AFFIRMING THAT COMMITMENT. I PROMOTED YOU SO THAT AUSTIN CAN CONTINUE TO BE A WELCOMING PLACE FOR ALL READERS. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU CAN SAY YOUR NAME. I THOUGHT I DID. I'M CAROLYN FOOT FROM THE TEXAS FREEDOM FIGHTERS. THANK, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU ONE MORE TIME TO OUR LIBRARY STAFF, UH, FROM GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING TO A BUILDING LIKE THIS. IT'S THE PEOPLE WITHIN IT WHO PROVIDE THIS ACCESS. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING THE STRENGTH AND THE LEADERSHIP TO THE MOMENT. UM, WE CAN OPEN FOR, FOR QUESTIONS IF I DO WANT. YES. AND UH, YES, WE HAVE POST FOR A PHOTO AFTER THE YES. HOW MANY BOOKS IN AUSTIN BEEN DANCE OR ASKED TO , UM, FROM THE PUBLIC LIBRARY? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. UH, WE'VE HAD ABOUT EIGHT OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. UH, AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO EITHER RETAIN, RE-LEVEL OR REMOVE, SO ABOUT EIGHT, BUT WE HAVE NOT REMOVED ANY TITLES. OKAY. THERE ARE ALSO LI PUBLIC LIBRARIES AROUND THE STATE THAT HAVE HAD BOOK CHALLENGES LIKE, UM, TYLER, TEXAS, LUBBOCK, TEXAS, UM, DALLAS, TEXAS. MANY, MANY PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA. UH, SCHOOL LIBRARIES ACROSS THE REGION HAVE HAD BOOK CHALLENGES. UM, E'S HAD OVER A HUNDRED BOOK CHALLENGES. ROUND ROCK HAS HAD THEM, HAYES HAS HAD THEM, LEANDER. UM, AND SO THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR, FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT A CHALLENGE DOES NOT MEAN A BOOK IS REMOVED. IT MEANS THE BOOK IS BEING CONSIDERED BY A A COMMITTEE. AND, UM, SO THOSE ARE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES, BUT BOOKS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED ALL AROUND CENTRAL TEXAS. AND, UH, KRISTA, UM, ALSO JUST BE, I'LL POST FOR A PICTURE THAT OKAY? YEAH. SOUNDS GOOD. WE'LL POST FOR A PICTURE AT THE END. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO A PICTURE. OH, OKAY. ONE WAY I AGREE. IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, GO AHEAD AND CALL IT OUT. I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE DOING TO FIGHT SOME OF THESE CAMPS. JUST WONDER . WELL, WELL, SO FIRST OFF, BY PASSING RESOLUTIONS LIKE THIS, WE ANNOUNCED, UH, LOUD AND CLEAR THAT WE WILL STAND FIRM BEHIND THESE BOOKS AND WE WILL NOT BE REMOVING THEM FROM OUR SHELVES. AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT STEP AS IT PROVIDES HOPE, AND STRENGTH ACROSS OUR STATE. UM, AND I WILL TURN TO MY COLLEAGUES TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY, ANYTHING TO ADD ON. I MEAN, JUST ENSURING THAT IN OUR OWN AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES, WE ARE A SAFE HARBOR. SO THAT IS THE ACTION, THAT IS THE MESSAGE WE ARE SENDING IS THAT HERE IN AUSTIN, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A FREEDOM LOVING CITY AND ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO READ WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE. OOPS. SORRY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. WHERE DO YOU WANT US SIT? MAYBE BEHIND THE, IN THE FRONT. I THINK YOU OKAY. BEHIND? OH YEAH. YEAH. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.