AUSTIN, Texas —
Austin Public Library's (APL) top director says he's working to make sure everyone feels welcomed and seen at the library system's branches.
For Roosevelt Weeks, some books are worth fighting for – and that's exactly what he's doing to make sure everyone feels represented by the books in Austin's libraries.
"Our theme is 'libraries for all.' Anybody and everybody, any walk of life can come into our library and feel comfortable," Weeks said.
He said representation and inclusion is critical, especially for marginalized communities.
Every good book starts with a story, and Weeks said connecting to those stories is crucial.
"When people can look in a book and say, 'This is going to help me. If this person felt, I mean, dealt with these struggles, I can deal with them, too,'" Weeks said.
An example of a book like that is "Sasha Knight," which is about a missing girl and gives an inside look at life in Jamaica in the '80s and '90s.
Its author, Sean Godfrey, works at the library. He said it's important that people have opportunities to learn about their culture or see their own culture represented.
"Knowing that this is available in the library, is available for free really, really matters to me," Godfrey said.
Weeks said efforts that could restrict which books people read – like Texas' House Bill 900, or the "Reader Act" – prevent connections. He wants to make sure the library is there to keep those pages turning.
"We don't want to be in that political realm. We want to be in provide the materials for people so that they can come in and enjoy a good book without feeling threatened," Weeks said.
The Reader Act only affects school libraries, but it could ban books that explore sexuality and race. Advocates for the law say it's to protect children, but Weeks said that is up to parents.
"A parent has a right to say, 'I don't want my child looking at an R-rated movie.' Don't go. There are some books that they may not want their child to read. Don't read it. And that's for anybody," Weeks said.
He said we should be learning from books, not judging them by their covers. If a book is banned from school, Weeks wants students to have an option to still get it from the library.
The library also has a Banned Book Camp, where students can come and read books that are no longer allowed in schools. For a list of books and a schedule, you can visit the library's website.