Join ESFL for the final event in our Fall Love & Solidarity Series!

Read to the Max is a day-long homage to banned books and the stories they hold. The afternoon of Thursday, November 16th, we invite folks to tune in to a livestream of community readers reading aloud from their favorite banned books. The celebration continues that evening, as ESFL hosts a zine-making pop-up, led by Professor of Book Arts Erica Rasmussen. The event culminates in a fireside chat featuring Minnesota librarians Tami Lee and Jody Gray.

Leading up to November 16th, ESFL invites community members to participate in Read to the Max in any or all of the following ways!:

1. READ: ESFL has been recording short videos of community members reading excerpts from banned books. While our pre-scheduled filming dates have passed, interested parties may still inquire at: [email protected]. Check out our list of banned books HERE—pick a book from this list, or choose another text you love!

2. DONATE: Rally friends and family to donate to ESFL in honor of our collective voices and in support of de-censoring knowledge. Our Give to the Max donation and peer fundraising page will become available on Wednesday, November 1st. Until then, Donate HERE.

3. ATTEND: Join us for a lively fireside discussion on the intersection of libraries and book bans, featuring guest librarians Tami Lee and Jody Gray. We also invite folks to get creative and join us at our zine-making session just before the discussion. Register for Librarian Fireside HERE.

DAY-OF LINE-UP:
Afternoon-5:00 PM CT: Banned Book Livestream
5:00-6:30PM CT: Zine-making Pop-up, ft. book artist Erica Rasmussen
7:00-8:30PM CT: Guest Librarian Fireside, ft. librarians Tami Lee and Jody Gray

All components of READ TO THE MAX are hybrid online and in-person, save for zine-making which is in-person only. Please mask up for community safety!