What is going on here? Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently ordered a purge of the library at the U.S. Naval Academy. Books critical of racism and the Holocaust were removed, while books embraced by white supremacists were left on the shelves. 

What is going on here? The White House announced the elimination of the Institute for Museum and Library Services, an agency that has provided important grants to small public libraries in Maine. Cutbacks at the IMLS are now threatening to cause the layoff of one-third of our State Library’s staff if not also the elimination of our great interlibrary loan system.

What is going on here? For almost 40 years, I worked in libraries of different kinds in three different states. Since I retired in 2009, I have been an enthusiastic supporter of the Belfast Free Library. Libraries defend our democracy by providing balanced and accessible information in many formats. Libraries provide services to ALL Americans regardless of race, gender, religion, age, or economic status.

What is going on here? What is the Trump administration so afraid of? An informed citizenry that embraces freedom of speech and religion? An informed citizenry that sees strength in our diversity and refuses to return to a past when equality under the law was a lie? 

What is going on here? If you support the motto often carved over libraries’ doors – “KNOWLEDGE IS POWER” – then speak up! Refuse to accept the denial of our rights as citizens of a free country. Refuse to believe that one race, one gender, one religion is better than others. Aren’t we all better than this? 

Corliss Davis lives in Belfast