By Brian Engler, Chair, Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees

The First Amendment to our Constitution guarantees freedom of expression. Framing using analogies often helps illustrate concepts and so I shall.

To freely express ourselves about any issue, we first need to gather as much information as we can (my analogy: this is the kindling).

Information takes a lot of forms, but to be worthwhile and avoid bias it needs to come from a variety of distinct sources and perspectives. We then process that information through reason and critical thought (these are the sparks).

Genuine knowledge finally develops (the flames, if you will) upon which we can establish, freely express and defend our viewpoint.

The process of forming an opinion about a topic in this way — as opposed, say, to naively regurgitating platitudes or preconceived notions — exemplifies education. Educating citizens is central to a public library’s responsibility. To this aim, we strive for a collection as broad and varied as possible for all age groups.

We have seen an unfortunate trend of individuals taking issue with some material in our public schools, and I would not be surprised to see that censorious craze creep towards those of us who represent our public library. Our public librarians must maintain accessible and comprehensive learning spaces for all. As board chair, I will listen to apprehensions that members of the public may want to express, but I will never condone censorship or suppression of any library material for any patron of any age.