Librarians Confront Gun Violence

In the forthcoming PW issue, Andrew Albanese interviews Parkland (Florida) Public library director Joe Green. “We talked about how you never think this is going to happen in your community, especially not in a community like Parkland.”

The Valentine’s Day school shooting in Parkland, Florida, which saw 14 students and three educators murdered, has – once again – turned the nation’s attention to addressing gun violence. Among many concerned groups in communities across the country, public librarians are much more than just bystanders, reports Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly senior writer.

“For the last three years, guns have loomed large over the library community,” he tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally. “Just last summer, on August 28, a 16-year-old local student entered the Clovis-Carver Public Library in downtown Clovis, N.Mex., and opened fire. Circulation assistant Wanda Walters and youth-services librarian Kristina Carter were killed. Another circulation assistant, Jessica Thron, was wounded.

“The emotionally-troubled shooter, a sophomore, told investigators that he had ‘been thinking bad things for a while’ but felt he couldn’t tell anyone—including the pastor at the church where he was a regular attendee,” Albanese adds.

In the forthcoming PW issue, Albanese interviews Parkland (Florida) Public Library director Joe Green. “He told me that the library is serving as a community and support center. And we talked about how you just never think this is going to happen in your community, especially not in a community like Parkland.

“It was a heartbreaking conversation to have, frankly. But Green also spoke about the inspiring activism of these kids who are determined to see their friends’ deaths lead to positive change.”

Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.