Queens Public Library Launches Special Edition Library Card Celebrating the Freedom to Read in Recognition of Banned Books Week
Lineup of events includes talks, exhibitions, silent reading hour, and more
Queens, NY - Queens Public Library will kick off its Freedom to Read campaign in recognition of Banned Books Week (October 5–11) with the launch of a new special edition library card (pictured above), along with a series of events and activities that highlight the importance of access to diverse ideas and voices, while also drawing attention to the rise of book bans and challenges across the country.
The card, designed by Flushing illustrator and undergraduate arts student Sammi Wu as part of a QPL contest, will debut on Saturday, October 4, at 11 a.m. at Jackson Heights Library (35-51 81st Street). Wu and QPL President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott, who served as a contest judge, will discuss the card and Wu’s creative process. Attendees will be able to pick up the new card and enjoy free book giveaways. The card will also be available at all QPL locations beginning that day.
“Libraries across the country are facing an unprecedented wave of censorship, with book bans and challenges frequently aimed at silencing LGBTQ voices and communities of color,” said QPL President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “These efforts send a troubling message about which stories matter. Sammi’s powerful new card design not only celebrates the diversity of our borough and the joy of reading, but also—together with our Freedom to Read campaign—reinforces our commitment to securing access to a wide range of perspectives and ideas.”
According to the American Library Association, book banning efforts remain at historic levels. In 2024, the ALA documented 821 attempts to censor library materials and challenges to 2,452 unique titles, with most targeting works by or about people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.
A native of Flushing, NY, Wu is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration at the School of Visual Arts. Her winning design portrays five young people seated closely together on the 7 train, intently reading an oversized book spread across their laps. Queens landmarks can be seen through the train window, with the Library’s logo and the words “Freedom to Read” anchoring the card’s bottom edge.
Wu’s design was selected from more than 1,100 submissions to QPL’s Banned Book Card Design Contest, held last October. Ten additional finalists were also chosen, and their artwork, alongside Wu’s design, are included in a Freedom to Read Art Exhibit, now on view at Central Library (89-11 Merrick Blvd.) through October 31.
The 10 finalists’ designs will be featured on collectible stickers available at all branches, which can be added to a special Freedom to Read booklet.
Wu will also join an artist talk and reception at Central Library (89-11 Merrick Blvd.) on Saturday, October 11 at 11:30 a.m., with some of the other contest finalists and special remarks by QPL President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott.
Later that same day, QPL customers are invited to join a Silent Reading Hour (2–3 p.m.) at all library locations, coming together to read quietly in solidarity. Participants can check out a book that is considered banned or challenged, and are welcome to read silently for as long as they like.
The Library will also hold two outreach events offering the special edition cards, free books, and activities on Monday, October 6, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., with Youth Services Bookmobile making a stop at Rafferty Triangle Park (44th Drive, Long Island City) and Bookcycle - at Bliss Plaza, under the 7 train line (46th Street and Queens Blvd., Sunnyside).
Additional events, including designing banned books bookmarks, arts and crafts, blind dates with banned books, and screenings of movies based on banned books, will take place at library locations across the borough.
For more information about QPL’s Freedom to Read campaign, including booklists and a full schedule of events, go here.
About Queens Public Library
Queens Public Library is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the United States, dedicated to serving the most ethnically and culturally diverse area in the country. An independent, non-profit organization founded in 1896, Queens Public Library offers free access to a collection of more than 5 million books and other materials in 50 languages, technology, and digital resources. Each year, the Library hosts tens of thousands of online and in-person educational, cultural, and civic programs and welcomes millions of visitors through its doors. With a presence in nearly every neighborhood across the borough of Queens, the Library consists of 66 locations, including branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a technology lab at the Queensbridge public housing complex, a community learning center at the Ravenswood public housing complex, and five teen centers. It also has four bookmobiles and two book bicycles.
CONTACT: Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, ekern@queenslibrary.org