The Marin County Board of Supervisors voted Sept. 30 to proclaim Oct. 5'11, 2025, as Banned Books Week, urging protection of library access and the freedom to read.

Supervisor Colbert sponsored the resolution in partnership with the Marin County Free Library and the Banned Books Week Committee. "The 2025 theme, 'Censorship is so 1984. Read for your rights,' is a powerful reminder that the right to read belongs to all of us," Colbert told the board.

Speakers from the Marin County Free Library, the League of Women Voters, library commissions and independent bookstores urged the supervisors to support the proclamation. Lonette Lowen, director of county library services, highlighted library events and displays planned across the county and said libraries provide critical access to information for all ages.

Why it matters: Advocates said recent book challenges and removals in other jurisdictions underscore the role libraries and schools play in preserving democratic participation and civic literacy. Several speakers said book bans disproportionately affect works about race, gender identity and other historically marginalized subjects.

Board action: Supervisor Colbert moved the resolution and Supervisor Milton Peters seconded; the motion carried unanimously. The board encouraged the public to view the library display outside the chambers and to participate in related events across Marin County.