Live Oak Public Libraries announces that its Regional Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to designate the system a Book Sanctuary Library.

"I am proud the Board made this historic decision," said Jere Williams, Chair of the Live Oak Public Libraries Board of Trustees. "We are the very first public library system to be so designated in Georgia, and among just a few in the South to do so."

"This action was carefully considered and we believe it will be welcomed and celebrated by the community we serve and by our staff and patrons," continued Williams.

"The Regional Board's decision reaffirms a public library's' role to honor First Amendment freedoms," said Lola DeWitt, Executive Director. "We are transparent on this key value, which is embedded in longstanding LOPL policies and stands today as one of our key values: 'Freedom of thought and exploration is essential to a democratic society.'"

The movement to declare public libraries as “Book Sanctuaries” began in September 2022, when the City of Chicago and the Chicago Public Library (CPL) declared themselves a space for endangered stories and called for others to do the same. CPL's BookSanctuary.org calls for established sanctuaries to do at least one of the following:

Collect and protect endangered books
Make those books broadly accessible
Host book talks and events, including sparking conversations about diverse characters and stories
Educate others on the history of book banning and burning

Live Oak Public Libraries recently completed a five-year strategic plan with broad public input, including more than 1,300 survey responses from the community. The 2025 - 2030 Plan, called, "Shaping Our Story," is the first such comprehensive plan completed by the system in sixteen years. Read the full plan at https://liveoakpl.org/about/planning.

Commemorative Book Sanctuary Library bookmarks and buttons will be available at your local Live Oak Public Libraries branch while supplies last.