“Even now I remember those pictures, like pictures in a storybook one loved as a child. Radiant meadows, mountains vaporous in the trembling distance; leaves ankle-deep on a gusty autumn road; bonfires and fog in the valleys; cellos, dark window-panes, snow.”
― Donna Tartt
From the Director
Celebrating the Freedom to Read
October is a time when we begin to settle into the routines of fall, but it is also a time to celebrate an important principle at the heart of public libraries: the freedom to read.
October 4–10, 2026, is Banned Books Week, an annual event that highlights the importance of ensuring people have access to a wide range of ideas, perspectives, and stories. Libraries serve communities made up of people with different backgrounds, experiences, interests, and viewpoints. Our collections should reflect that diversity and provide opportunities for everyone to discover something new—even when a particular book or idea may challenge us.
At the September meeting, the Dansville Public Library Board of Trustees formally adopted the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement. These documents affirm the library’s commitment to intellectual freedom and to providing access to materials representing a broad range of viewpoints.
This does not mean that every book in our collection will be right for every reader. It means that individuals and families have the opportunity to make their own choices about what they read, while the library works to maintain a collection that serves the community as a whole.
I encourage you to stop by the library this October, explore a new section, pick up a book you might not normally choose, and—perhaps most importantly—keep reading, questioning, and learning.
Thank you for supporting your public library and the freedom to explore ideas.
See you at the library!
Youth Services Updates
This month brings plenty of seasonal excitement to the youth area. In addition to our kitchen returning to the Enrichment Room for dramatic play, a volunteer high school artist, Maggie Tillman, has begun work on a mural that will start to bring our fairy vibe to life! It’s the first of a series of changes we have planned in order to make our Enrichment Room feel like walking into a curious fairy’s home.
Young kids have the opportunity this month to drop pumpkins in hopes of making them splat open, dress as their favorite character for our book-themed costume party, cuddle in their PJs for a not-so-spooky storytime, let their stuffies sleep over one night, or grab a s’more while trick-or-treating. Information about all our activities, and registration for those that require it, can be found on our online calendar.
Older kids at DHS are invited to join us at the high school for History Club! Last month, we started a partnership with Mrs. Evershed in the social studies department and Quinn Golden, president of Dansville Area History Society. History Club will meet monthly and feature activities and resources about student-selected topics of local, regional, and statewide interest. (If you were a member of Yorkers in high school, this will sound familiar.) Interested students can talk with Mrs. Evershed for more information.
We’re Hiring: Children & Family Services Coordinator
Dansville Public Library is seeking an enthusiastic, organized, and creative individual to serve as our new Children and Family Services Coordinator.
For more information, please see our Employment Opportunities page.
Individual Program Information
