Houston Area Community Library Provides Access to Various Banned Books

The Houston area has a new resource for residents affected by the book ban — or for people looking for their next great read: the Woodlands Pride Community Library.

Housed in Village Books at 9955 Woodlands Parkway, Suite F, the library has nearly 400 titles. Many are stories from the LGBTQ+ community and/or authors of color, such as George M. Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” Raina Telgemeier’s “Drama” and Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give.”

“Everyone deserves to see themselves represented on the page of a book,” said Rachel Walker, a board member of LGBTQ+ advocacy group The Woodlands Pride. “A library should reflect the community, and when you start removing books because you don’t agree with their subject matter, you’re doing the community a disservice.”

The project was a response to local politics.

Last year, The Woodlands Pride hosted an inclusive book drive. The event was inspired by the high number of book bans in Texas and the disproportionate impact these restrictions have on diverse authors and stories.

Some of these bans have been implemented in school districts that serve The Woodlands. In addition to restricting students’ reading freedom, many of these titles are Advanced Placement and/or SAT topics, Walker said.

“What we’re trying to do is fill a gap that’s been created by these book bans,” she said.

The original plan was to donate the books to the Montgomery County library system. But in March, the local commissioners court removed librarians from some book evaluation processes, opting instead for an unelected citizens’ committee. Commissioners and public commentators have expressed concerns about future book removals.

“I thought, ‘I can’t give these books away because they might be withdrawn,'” Walker said.

Disappointed, Walker didn’t know where to put the titles. The answer soon came in the form of a local writer and business owner: Teresa Kenney of Village Books. She offered a back room of her store to house the inclusive library.

The grand opening took place on Friday, June 28, in an effort to “close out Pride Month,” Walker said. Visitors received a free copy of Ocean Vuong’s “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous,” while children colored bookmarks and participated in a literary scavenger hunt.

Anne Russey, a Katy resident and co-director of the statewide organization Texas Freedom to Read Project, attended the dedication with her family.

“The library is a true labor of love and collaboration between The Woodlands Pride and Village Books that immediately felt welcoming and safe,” Russey said. “Visitors of all ages will find stories to love and enjoy.”

While there are no other events on the library’s calendar yet, Walker said there will be in the future.

The library is open during Village Books hours, which are 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday and 12pm to 5pm Sunday. It is self-service and operates through the Libib app. Patrons can browse the online catalog and fill out a library card application before visiting.

The Woodlands Community Pride Library will continue to grow and people can suggest titles for its wish list via an online form.

Those interested in donating to the library can purchase titles directly from Village Books or email [email protected] to arrange a pickup. Monetary donations are collected through a secure link, available by texting TWPBOOKS to 44321.