On October 17, 2024, the Verona Public Library Board of Trustees unanimously passed Resolution 24-9 to declare the library as a Book Sanctuary.

As of October 2024, 35 library systems and four municipalities in New Jersey are book sanctuaries. A book sanctuary is a space where access to books and the right to read them are at the forefront of its mission. Book sanctuaries protect intellectual freedom, encourage the free exchange of ideas, and safeguard people’s rights to read materials of their choosing.

The book sanctuary initiative was started by Chicago Public Library in 2022 to protect endangered books after an increase in book challenges and bans across the United States. For more information on book sanctuaries, visit www.booksanctuary.org or hobokenlibrary.org/booksanctuary/

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