From where I sit the sun has officially crossed the equator and is heading north, leaving behind longer days and impossible shades of green. Some of us have returned to abandoned offices and torn down old calendars, and some have opened windows in bedroom workspaces. Last week I attended my first in-person meeting in two years, marveling at the spirit and engagement of people sitting around the same table. Although the handshake may be in limbo, the genuine need and desire to connect is not.

With no shortage of uncertainty, madness, and disruption in the world right now, sharing information and resources is more important than ever. On Wednesday, May 18, the New York Book Forum (NYBF) will take on The Paper Pause. Bringing together experts from all sides of the issue, it will give you the opportunity to hear how some companies are navigating unprecedented stresses on the supply chain and to ask questions in ‘real time.’ This virtual program will be broadcast on our YouTube channel. No registration necessary to access to the event.

Challenges to the availability of books sometimes go beyond the physical, with the politicization of reading material. Chris Finan, the Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Censorship, and a long-time free speech advocate, recently granted NYBF an interview. In addition to providing a backdrop for recent banned book controversies, there are valuable links to current projects and tools to push back on book challenges.

The very word spring is a call to action, embodying energy and resilience. It is evidence that transformation is always possible. With that in mind, the NYBF is in the midst of planning its first in-person social event where we can rub (or bump) elbows, meet new friends and old, and connect with others who have also mastered the art of reading while eating or walking. This formal launch—details still under discussion—will be held at The View at Battery Park.

NYBF is a non-profit organization committed to promoting reading and dedicated to furthering literacy. Join us now to learn and to educate, to fight for literacy and to help grow readership. Join us to reconnect with your publishing colleagues and to connect with people outside your network. Join us to share your challenges and to see how others are navigating theirs. Join us to discover and rediscover. The first six months are FREE (newyorkbookforum.org/membership/)

I leave you with a quote from Tony Marx, the President of the New York Public Library, where he has selected commonly banned books available to all, across the country, regardless of membership: “Knowledge is power; ignorance is dangerous, breeding hate and division. Since their inception, public libraries have worked to combat these forces simply by making all perspectives and ideas accessible to all.” (Link to full article here.)

With warm regards,
Karen Romano
Board Member
New York Book Forum, Inc.