Florida has had plenty of competition when it comes to removing books from school shelves and students’ hands, but in sheer numbers, the Sunshine State has no peer. According to PEN America, the state has held the No. 1 title for three years running, with more than 9,000 titles removed and restricted just since 2021. A new documentary explores the trend and its effects, particularly for those working on the front lines — media specialists. No longer tasked with shushing visitors, school librarians are instead fighting efforts to silence the voices of authors, particularly those with diverse experiences or those exploring difficult topics. The PBS documentary The Librarians explores the role of libraries and the people tasked with running them in an increasingly fraught and even dangerous environment. The film focuses primarily on Texas but features local book fights, including in Clay County, the most restrictive school district in the state. We discuss the film with two local participants ahead of a screening of the film at WJCT Studios on Thursday.
Guests:
- The Rev. Jeffrey Dove, freedom-to-read advocate and pastor of Saint James AME Church in Orange Park
- Julie Miller, freedom-to-read advocate and librarian
Virtual career fair
Connecting to a new job can be difficult, but it’s far more challenging when you don’t know the job exists. As part of a nationwide initiative by public broadcasting stations, WJCT Public Media embarked on a social media effort to inform young people about potential careers on the First Coast. Led by social video specialist Jordan Luckin, Jobs Explained showcases both specific job opportunities — including train engineer, air traffic controller and “penetration tester” — as well as more general challenges for young employees, like finding work/life balance, dealing with imposter syndrome and how to dress for work. We talk about meeting young workers where they live and the job of making work fun.
Guests:
- Dr. Stephanie Murray, director of education, WJCT Public Media
- Jordan Luckin, social video specialist, WJCT Public Media
904 Walk Club
If you’ve started to notice a few hundred people out walking on a random Wednesday night, you may well be catching sight of the First Coast’s burgeoning weekly walk show. Since it began last summer, the 904 Walk Club has emerged as both a healthy and social exploration of the city on foot. Though the Wednesday walk often starts at the Riverside Arts Market location under the Fuller Warren Bridge, meetup locations range from the beach to Friendship Fountain. All “paces” are welcome, and walks are family, pet and wheelchair friendly. We talk to the club’s founders about walking the walk when it comes to building fitness and friendship.
Guests:
- Troy Busscher, founder, 904 Walk Club
- Hakim Danner, founder, 904 Walk Club
Topics and guests subject to change.