Maybe you’ve heard of Neil Gaiman. He’s the author of graphic novels, fantastic novels, amazing short stories, and children’s books that are frightening, funny, and sometimes enchanting. He’s also won numerous awards, including the Newbery Award for outstanding children’s fiction, for his novel The Graveyard Book. If you haven’t read anything by him, I highly recommend that you do. 

I am so pleased that he is participating in the “Our Authors, Our Advocates” initiative of the American Library Association, and as part of that, he’s filmed this PSA. I’d love it if you’d share this with other readers and library supporters- now is a difficult time for libraries, and the more people who stand up for them the better.

I had the privilege of hearing him speak last year, and he talked a lot about the library he grew up in. So many writers really do grow up surrounded by books, not because they had them at home, but because of their library. 

And the right librarian can be so important in your life. I personally was incredibly lucky in that my elementary school librarian was there to meet me in the high school library when I finally made it through the doors, and the children’s librarian at my public library(there were no YA librarians) drew together a bunch of middle schoolers to read William Sleator and teach us the power of story. But we’re not supposed to be talking about me, although I share something with Mr. Gaiman here.

We both are passionate about keeping libraries alive and growing. And we want you you to pass it on.