Big Monkey Talk

While many places are advertising their lack of appeal by bragging about how hard it is to live freely -- new targets arise daily, increasingly less Orwellian than just straight out of a lost corner of Carroll's WonderLand in sheer arbitrariness -- a reminder that it's a big world out there and not everyone is a dope.

The Brooklyn Public Library has expanded its online digital membership, allowing any student, 13-12, to borrow from its digital collection.

National Teen BPL eCard

For a limited time, individuals ages 13-21 can apply for a free BPL eCard, providing access to their full eBook collection as well as learning databases. To apply, email BooksUnbanned@bklynlibrary.org.

BPL’s eCard is always free to teenagers in New York State. Apply here.

Cyber Hands

In the early 20th century, there was growing fear that new technology would allow small groups, or even individuals, to spread chaos and destruction. That has happened. (See: Anything billionaires do for sport.) But the other aspect that's starting to show is how reasonable people are working the system as well. When Kellog tried to fire all its workers instead of raising their salaries, people flooded their job application site with fakes. There are hundreds of stories about both online and in-person civilian efforts to bog down Russia's efforts in Ukraine, frequently with success. BPL isn't the only resource for finding these books, but the side effect will be making kids aware of an even wider range of books available.

In March 2021, zealots complained Dr. Seuss was being censored and cancelled because some of his titles were being taken out of print. The publisher (and Geisel's family) were removing a few books because, simply, not only were they a bit dated, but they weren't selling very well. It was a marketing decision; ask yourself how many childrens books from the early 50s you still read to toddlers. Older copies still exist, as well as digital versions. That still left a huge number of Seuss titles flying off the shelves. But the new round of book burnings (let's be honest) is the real deal: An attempt to silence authors, and by extension their readers. In fact, it's more about silencing the readers. The writers are yet another life line the zealots are attempting to saw through with their stubby, dull sabres. rattling them all over Fox News and the slippery floors of the Capitols.