September is Banned Book Month, a time when libraries across the country highlight the importance of free expression and access to ideas. This year, Galion Public Library is taking that message a step further with an event focused on the power of reading and writing as tools of change.

On Monday, September 22 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the library’s Community Room will host Adult Political Education: Literacy IS Liberation. The evening promises more than just talk — it’s a chance to explore, reflect, and even play a little trivia.

A Closer Look at the Program

The event will open with a censorship simulation activity, inviting participants to experience firsthand how silencing information affects communities. From there, real-life stories will take center stage. Attendees will learn how figures like Nat Turner, Dolly Parton, Malala Yousafzai, and Malcolm X used literacy to push for justice, create opportunity, and inspire others.

Adding a local connection, featured speaker Dr. Ursula McTaggart, professor and liaison for prison education at Wilmington College, will share her perspective on literacy’s power inside and outside prison walls. Her talk is made possible through a donation from the Friends of the Galion Public Library.

The evening will close with group discussion and a trivia contest, with a unique prize: a six-person general admission pass to the African Safari Wildlife Park, courtesy of the North Central Ohio Media Group.

Who Should Attend

The program is designed for adults, though teens 16 and under are welcome if accompanied by an adult. Organizers note that some of the content is aimed at adult audiences and ask families to keep that in mind.

Why It Matters

At a time when debates about access to books are on the rise, events like this remind us of something simple yet profound: literacy is more than reading words on a page. It is the foundation for participation in democracy, a gateway to opportunity, and often, a path to liberation.