10 librarians nationwide receive I Love My Librarian awards

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Category: Education/Family

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. censor / ˈsɛn sər / (v.) – to prevent a book, movie, artwork, or a part of it from being read or seen by people due to contents that are seen as inappropriate
    Example:

    Parents asked the school to censor books that aren’t appropriate for young students.


  2. intimidation / ɪnˌtɪm ɪˈdeɪ ʃən / (n.) – the act of threatening someone to make him or her do what one wants
    Example:

    Environmentalists are facing intimidation from illegal miners.


  3. literacy / ˈlɪt ər ə si / (n.) – the ability to read and write
    Example:

    We want our students to achieve a high level of literacy.


  4. stipend / ˈstaɪ pɛnd / (n.) – money that’s given to someone to pay for his or her expenses
    Example:

    Each athlete will receive a $15,000 stipend from the government per year.


  5. press for / prɛs fɔr / (phrasal v.) – to try to achieve something in a very determined way
    Example:

    Medical workers are pressing for higher wages.


Article

Read the text below.

Some are fighting local efforts to censor books, while others are focused on cultural programs, education about Ukraine or helping people buy groceries: These are this year’s winners of the I Love My Librarian Award.


Based everywhere from New York City to Carencro, Louisiana, the winners share a common desire to work closely with their patrons.


“Even in these unprecedented times and as our nation’s library workers face historic levels of intimidation and harassment due to an ongoing wave of book censorship, librarians continue to empower their patrons, teach critical literacy skills, promote inclusion in their space and collections, and provide vital services for their communities,” American Library Association President Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada said in a statement.


Each of the 10 honorees received a $5,000 cash prize and a $750 travel stipend to attend the library association’s LibLearnX event last month in New Orleans. The awards were based on nominations from library users around the country and made possible by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and support from the New York Public Library.


Winners include Kathryn Blackmer Reyes of the San Jose State University library in San Jose, California, cited for how she promoted untold stories by Asian Americans, Native Americans and Hispanics among others. At the Highlands County Library System in Sebring, Florida, Vikki Brown successfully pressed for a grant to set up a mobile library for the rural population.


The awards were established in 2008. This year, judges at the library association chose the winners from more than 1,500 nominations.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • What do you think is the importance of having librarians in society? If you were a librarian, what would you do for your community (ex. press for a public library, organize book donation programs)? Discuss.
  • Electronic forms of books such as ebooks and audiobooks are becoming more common in recent years. Do you think this could be a threat to the job of librarians? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Why do you think libraries are facing intimidation and harassment due to censorship efforts? Do you think censorship is sometimes necessary? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Are there any books censored in your country? How do you feel about books that are censored (ex. I become more curious about them, I feel scared to read them)? Discuss.