An unknown island that harbors a tiny library with shelves of banned books sounds like a fantastical fairy tale. But just off the coast of Maine, the small library on Matinicus Island is determined to fill its shelves with infamous and banned books, and we fully endorse this noble mission.
With schools in different parts of the country banning books at record speed, the issues of educational freedom, censorship, and the freedom of speech come into scrutiny. Classic books like Toni Morrison’s Beloved and The Bluest Eye, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, and To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee have been banned by school boards and districts across the country for one reason or another.
However, as a response to these rapid rulings, the library on Matinicus Island is publicly pushing back on these bans. They are actively buying banned books to fill the library’s shelves as a statement against these recent abuses of censorship. The library was founded in 2016 as a grassroots mission by the Matinicus islanders and is run by an honor system with no actual librarian.
If you enjoyed this article, read about a Parthenon decorated with banned books here.