Ross and Pickaway Counties — Three library systems came together to help commemorate Constitution Day recently.
Ohio University Chillicothe and its library hosted “Freedom of Information Past and Present in the Public Library,” a panel discussion, on September 17th. From their Facebook page:
“Public libraries are on the front lines of freedom of information issues from the selection of materials in the collections to celebrations of cultural events like Pride Month and religious holidays. The panel will explore the historical role of libraries and the modern challenges posed by disinformation and social media.”
OU-C professor Dr. John O’Keefe is teaching the history of the Constitution, so he requested the panel discussion.
James Hill, Executive Director of the Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library system, moderated the discussion. Drew Wichterman, Director of the Pickaway County Libraries, was one of the panelists. I caught the two of them afterward, and you can hear them in their own words in the below interview video.
They said they gave context to Constitution Day back to colonial times. When America’s libraries began, they were free for all, and that is still their core mission. They said that historically, freedom of speech and information helped inform public libraries and form the constitution.
A few days afterward was a panel discussion at the main campus in Athens on “The ABCs of Book Banning,” a 2023 short documentary film.
After mentioning the transition of libraries into the digital age, Hill pointed out that the Chillicothe and Ross County Library has “book hives” – outdoor kiosks scattered through the county where “The Bee,” their mobile library van, can drop off books by request. But the hives are also wifi hotspots, allowing people to connect when they might not have it at home.
