By Brian Freitag
TASPL Director
“As a former Army officer, I can truly say to you our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”
-Anonymous
The reason behind recognizing Memorial Day is engraved on my heart. General Douglas MacArthur once said: “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.”
Part of that freedom we enjoy is living in a society where we have the freedom to read, watch, and listen to just about anything we want. To be able to access a full range of voices and information without fear of repercussions is incredible.
This right is not equally shared across the world and has been at the center of conflict throughout history.
Frederick Douglass said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
Literacy offers that opportunity. It opens a door to freedom that can be conceived only once it is obtained.
Why not exercise your freedom to enjoy all the reading resources your library offers? With the onset of summer quickly following Memorial Day, the library is once again offering a Summer Reading Program. The theme of our Summer Reading Program this year is Library Field Days.
There are three reading events to choose from:
—A to Z Marathon (Reading books whose authors last name starts with A to Z)
—Ready… Set… Write (Compose a poem, short story or essay on our provided topics)
—Michigan Grand Tour (Visit your favorite local, state, or natural areas, taking a picture of you and your book that documents where you went) for juvenile, young adult and adult age groups.
You can choose to participate in one, two, or all three reading events. Sign up at the library for one or all of our reading events and get a free book. We will also have weekly activities with sports, music, and movement.
We welcome you to drop by the library at your convenience to pick up a Summer Reading Program brochure at the circulation desk for program details, to sign up, and bag a free book!
Keep exercising your freedom as you read, play, and achieve this summer with TASPL!
