WILPF Donates Peace Books to Detroit Public Library
Published on May, 18 2019
From left: Judith Sheldon, Peace Camp; Margaret Williamson, Detroit Rotary; Laura Dewey, President, Detroit Branch of WILPF; Margaret Bruni, Director of Public Services, Detroit Public Library; Pastor Charon Barconey, Presbytery of Detroit; and Linda Jackson, Peace Camp.
By Laura Dewey
Coordinator, Detroit Branch
Children visiting the Detroit Public Library will find new books—with titles like Separate Is Never Equal and Steamboat School—all winners of the Jane Addams Children's Book Award. The Detroit WILPF Branch, Detroit Rotary, and the Presbytery of Detroit donated twenty-two sets of Jane Addams Association award-winning books to the Detroit Public Library.
In previous years, these groups helped fund the Fort Street Presbyterian Church Children’s Peace Camp, but remaining funds were redirected to the library system when the camp stopped operating. This continues the tradition established by Helga Herz, a longtime WILPF member and Detroit librarian who annually donated the Jane Addams books to the library’s main branch.
On December 20, 2018, sponsors and directors of the former Peace Camp in Detroit met with the Children’s Program Librarians of the Detroit Public Library. Twenty-two neighborhood libraries each received eight books, which reflect the values of peace and justice and include characters of diverse ages, genders, locations, and identities. Margaret Bruni, Director for Public Services at Detroit Public Library, welcomed the group, and Judith Sheldon and Laura Dewey spoke briefly about the importance of peace education for children and about WILPF’s mission.
Consider doing something similar in your own branches. For more information, contact: wilpfdetroit@att.net.
2019 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Winners
The 2019 JACBA Winners can be found here and the awardees include: Jacqueline Woodson, Rafael López, Jewell Parker Rhodes, Nicola Davies, Rebecca Cobb, Jessica Love, Veera Hiranandani, Wade Hudson, and Cheryl Willis Hudson.
Among the topics covered in these books are refugee children fleeing war, the importance of honoring diversity and gender expression, how stories can break down barriers and build community, the impact of India’s partition, and the power of ancestors (including Emmett Till) to guide African American boys through the fear-based culture of violence against them.
These are great summer reading choices for the young people in our lives, and for us all!
