Required Reading | Art in Public Places

Where to find books for free

Local and Hard Copies - Free Access

• Art of Transformation Required Reading Event – Saturday, Dec 2nd, 11:45 AM - 2:30 PM in The Garden
• ‍Miami-Dade Public Library System - https://www.mdpls.org/‍
• Broward County Library - https://www.broward.org/library/Pages/Default.aspx‍
• Banned Books USA - https://bannedbooksusa.org/   Free Books to Celebrate the Freedom to Read. If you live in Florida, you can have books that have been banned and challenged in your state  sent to you for free + the cost of shipping.

Online, eBooks and Audio - Free Access

• Miami-Dade Public Library System - https://www.mdpls.org/‍
• Broward County Library - https://www.broward.org/library/Pages/Default.aspx‍
• Project Gutenberg - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/ Project Gutenberg is an online library of free eBooks. Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related content today.‍
• Internet Archive - https://archive.org/details/bannedbooks The Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, we provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, people with print disabilities, and the general public. Our mission is to provide Universal Access to All Knowledge.‍
• Digital Public Library (DPLA) The Banned Book Club - https://dp.la/ DPLA has launched The Banned Book Club to ensure that all readers have access to the books they want to read. The Banned Book Club makes e-book versions of banned books available to readers in locations across the United States where titles have been banned via the free Palace e-reader app.‍
• Brooklyn Public Library - https://www.bklynlibrary.org/books-unbanned  The Brooklyn Public Library invites individuals ages 13-21 to apply for a free BPL eCard, providing access to our full eBook collection as well as our learning databases. To apply, email booksunbanned@bklynlibrary.org.

Black Literature has had many challenges, with renewed assaults on its productions. As knowledge produced by African and African Diaspora intellectuals and artists is being debated, legislated, and litigated---reminding us of the dark Nazi period of banning and burning books---Required Reading calls for a return to Memory land where what they ban becomes required.

This Art in Public Places exhibition presents a plurality of works by African and African Diaspora writers and artists as a reflection of polyvocality and decentering of knowledge in a time of a legislative construction of ignorance and new cartographies of power and exclusion.

Ten North Group Arts Foundation is thrilled to extend an exclusive invitation to participate in Required Reading—a captivating, banned books activation in mid-November. Our focus is to nurture the literary passions of the next generation through engaging discussions and public readings in a lush garden installation called The Garden of Humanity.

In the midst of debates, litigation, and legislation surrounding writings by Black individuals,Required Reading delves into the relationships among visual and literary arts in the Black experience. Required Reading will be showcased in Opa-locka with vinyl canvas banners featuring book covers by Black writers. The installation will create landscapes of Black literature at the heart of African American neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County.

Opening Ceremony

Saturday Dec 2nd, 11:45 AM - 2:30 PM in The Garden

• Panel Discussions: Dive into thought-provoking conversations on the impact of banned books, literary censorship, and the enduring power of storytelling.
• Public Readings: Your participation in sharing excerpts from these impactful works will amplify the importance of defending freedom of expression. Additionally, we welcome the opportunity to host open mic sessions or other related programming to further enrich the tapestry of diverse narratives.
• Press conference
• Public reading of literature excerpts
• Book giveaway
• Library card drive