Nashville Public Library celebrates Banned Books Week

Flashback: In the spring of 2022, the Nashville library began offering its members library cards that say "I read banned books."

• It was supposed to be a temporary marketing effort. But the program was so successful, with over 4,200 people signing up for the cards, that it became a permanent offering.

State of play: The downtown library branch created special displays of books banned in other cities.

• In honor of Banned Books Week, the Nashville library also singles out books that have been subject to bans. "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison is one of the books highlighted on the library's website.
• The library also offers a curation program where members can ask librarians to select books centered around a specific topic including books that have been banned in other places.

Zoom in: A recently revised state law broadened the definition of what school library materials are prohibited, according to Chalkbeat Tennessee.

What they're saying: "At NPL, we strongly encourage parents' involvement as they decide which books and other forms of media are appropriate for their children and what works best for their families," library spokesperson Andrea Fanta tells Axios.