Sunday, September 21, 2014

Strong Communities Work

Celebrate Your Freedom to Read

Banned Books Week September 21-27

Overmyer
“Information is the currency of democracy,” Thomas Jefferson once said. In that spirit, authors, readers and book lovers everywhere are once again highlighting the need for citizens to not take their democratic freedom to read for granted. Sponsored by the American Library Association, Banned Books Week (September 21-27) is an annual event celebrating your freedom to read.

Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community-- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. This week, the library and book community invites you to explore the issues and controversies around book challenges and book banning by visiting your local public library.

Many area public libraries will sponsor community discussions, lectures and displays highlighting the value of free and open access to information. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.

The books featured during Banned Books Week this year have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. While books have been banned since the creation of the printed word and continue to be, in a majority of cases these targeted books have mostly remained available to the general public. This only happens because of the efforts of concerned citizens, librarians, teachers, students and community members who vocally defend your  first amendment of the US Constitution and stand up and speak out for your freedom to read.

Moreover, we have to remember there are worse crimes than banning books—one of them in not reading them in the first place. To find out more about Banned Books Week, you can go here or call the Monroe County Library System Office at 585-428-8063.

Ove Overmyer

President, Civil Service Employees Association, City of Rochester Library Workers Local 828 Unit 7420


Tuesday, September 9, 2014

CSEA WNY Region 6 PAC Endorsements

REGION 6 ENDORSEMENTS 2014

Below is a list of CSEA’s endorsed candidates for the 2014 General Election. Not sure what district you live in? Click here to find out.

REGION 6 CONGRESSIONAL ENDORSEMENTS

DistrictCSEA Endorsed Candidate
CD 23Martha Robertson (D)
CD 24Dan Maffei (D)
CD 25Louise Slaughter (D)
CD 26Brian Higgins (D)
CD 27No endorsement

REGION 6 SENATE ENDORSEMENTS 2014

DistrictCSEA Endorsed Candidate
SD 54Michael Nozzolio (R)
SD 55Ted O'Brien (D)
SD 56Joe Robach (R)
SD 57Catherine Young (R)
SD 58Tom O'Mara (R)
SD 59Pat Gallivan (R)
SD 60Mark Grisanti (R)
SD 61No endorsement
SD 62Rob Ortt (R)
SD 63Tim Kennedy (D)

REGION 6 ASSEMBLY ENDORSEMENTS 2014

DistrictsCSEA Endorsed Candidate
AD 132Phil Palmesano (R)
AD 133No endorsement
AD 134Gary Pudup (D)
AD 135Mark Johns (R)
AD 136Joe Morelle (D)
AD 137No endorsement
AD 138Harry Bronson (D)
AD 139No endorsement
AD 140No endorsement
AD 141Crystal Peoples-Stokes (D)
AD 142No endorsement
AD 143No endorsement
AD 144No endorsement
AD 145No endorsement
AD 146No endorsement
AD 147No endorsement
AD 148No endorsement
AD 149Sean Ryan (D)
AD 150No endorsement