The freedom to read is an American value that must be protected. Book bans and challenges in the U.S. reached an all-time high in 2023 and continue to happen at an alarming rate. It’s more important than ever to show support for local libraries and the #FreedomToRead!

On Saturday, October 19, 2024, libraries, bookstores, readers, and other partners nationwide are hosting rallies and community events to unite against book bans and demonstrate a shared commitment to this fundamental freedom. The Southern Tier Library System is celebrating the Freedom to Read Community Day of Action online. Join us & get involved:

1. Check out a #BannedBook.
2. Share your #BannedBooksSelfie on social media and tag us (@sotierlibsys)!
3. Register to #Vote! Register online or at your local library before 10/26.
4. Join our Library Advocate mailing list. You’ll receive updates about how to advocate for libraries throughout the year! 
5. Write to your NYS Legislators & ask them to support eBooks Licensing Reform (S.6868-A / A.10544)
6. Support DEI initiatives at STLS libraries by purchasing “Read Banned Books” swag from our merch shop!

Ground News is an online resource to compare headlines across the political spectrum and spot media bias using ratings driven by data. Best of all, you can access Ground News for free with your library card. Find it under “Extras” in the Libby app. Or, click the button below!

Features:

• Compare 50,000 news sources in one convenient place
• Get media bias and factuality ratings for news outlets
• See how news stories are covered across the political spectrum
• Balance your news diet with the My News Bias dashboard
• Supported languages: English, Spanish, French

The NYS Historic Newspapers project provides free online access to a wide range of newspapers chosen to reflect New York’s unique history. This collection contains 1,421,496 issues comprising 14,411,106 pages.

Many STLS libraries have contributed to the collection! Check out the website to learn more!

Libby is the free app from OverDrive that lets you borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines from your public library anytime, anywhere!

All you need is an internet connection and a library card. You can stream titles with Wi-Fi or mobile data, or download them for offline use.

Get started with Libby in a web browser: libbyapp.com/library/stls

Learn more about using the Libby app here: https://stls.libguides.com/OverDrive_Libby_App

If you are considering a career change or are thinking about attending college or graduate school, your local Southern Tier library can help.

Visit www.stls.org/careerhelp to get started with employment & career resources from your library today!

JobNow provides live, anytime, anywhere job assistance including up-to-date nation-wide and local job search engines, professional resume critique, and proven interview techniques. Live coaches are available to meet with you every day from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Access JobNow here.

Peterson’s Test Prep provides access to test prep resources for college and graduate school like the SAT and ACT, the GRE, LSAT, and MCAT. You can also access practice exams and resources for careers in real estate, cosmetology, plumbing, and more. Whether you’re a student planning for college or a professional embarking on a new career path, Peterson’s Test Prep can help you along the way.
Access Peterson’s Test Prep here.

Need a library card? Sign up for one from home! It’s fast & easy – just complete this form & start browsing over 25,000 titles in our digital collections.

Complete the form here:

https://starcat.stls.org/custom/web/registration/index.html

Learn more about the digital card, here:

https://www.stls.org/digital-library-card/

With your digital library card, you can access digital magazines, ebooks, and audiobooks from OverDrive in the Libby app!

https://libbyapp.com/library/stls

Learn more, here: https://www.stls.org/for-the-public/