Children's Diversity & Justice Library

10/10/2026

Reminder to join us Sunday morning at 11am at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church for the 2026 Banned Books Service.

When we started the Children's Diversity and Justice Library (CDJL) we had no idea that it would soon become known as the Banned Books Library. Top down hostility, including increasing laws, regulations and curriculum changes, toward Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has made many local schools and even public libraries take books off the shelves out of fear of political consequences. While not all books that are banned match the mission of the CDJLibrary, many do, especially those that are banned because of their connection to marginalized groups and social justice themes. in addition, the CDJL houses many many books that will never be banned because they will never make it to the shelves of school and public libraries for the very same reasons.

This Sunday we will celebrate the culmination of the American Library Association's Banned Books Week with a Banned Books Service recognizing the CDJL library. We will be featuring two books Pink is for Boys by Robb Pearlman, illustrated by Eda Kaban and Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts. You are invited to wear pink or blue (or whatever your favorite color is) as we celebrate the role our host organization, Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and the little library that love built, are playing in celebrating diversity and fostering freedom in our world.

The Children’s Diversity & Justice Library in conjunction with the organization that hosts our space and supports our mission, the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (TVUUC) , is ending Banned Books Week 2026 with a joint service “Dangerous Learning: Anti-literacy & Op

10/07/2026

The Children’s Diversity & Justice Library in conjunction with the organization that hosts our space and supports our mission, the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, is ending American Library Association's Banned Books Week with a joint service “Dangerous Learning: Anti-literacy & Oppression: A Worship Service for Banned Books Week”. Derek Black authored a book called Dangerous Learning: the South’s Long War on Black Literacy raising the question – is the current state government policy on book banning a continuation of this anti-literacy campaign? Only this time the campaign is not only targeting African Americans but Native Americans, Women, the LGBTQIA community and other marginalized groups. Join us for a service incorporating banned picture books, a youth protest march, and a call to justice and literacy for everyone!

The Children’s Diversity & Justice Library in conjunction with the organization that hosts our space and supports our mission, the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (TVUUC) , is ending Banned Books Week 2026 with a joint service “Dangerous Learning: Anti-literacy & Op

09/25/2026

We are back with a fall, winter and spring line up of storytimes for all ages! Please make a note of these dates, 1pm each time, and join us in the CDJL, Room H, inside the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Storytimes are suitable for all ages, and perhaps particularly well suited for preschool and early elementary ages. (Don't tell, but some adults come without children just because the stories are that good!). Each storytime includes at least three picture book read alouds, lasts approximately thirty minutes and is followed by related optional activities such as crafts or manipulatives and outside play if the weather agrees.

11/1: Honoring our ancestors. Fall is a time people from many traditions celebrate holidays and rituals of remembrance that honor ancestors such as Samhain, All Saints’ Day, Dia de los Mu***os and others. Let's learn about and share them together!

12/6: Holiday Lights - Celebrating the Lights of Diversity. In the northern hemisphere, during long dark winter nights, diverse festivals provide many opportunities to kindle hope by welcoming light. We'll enjoy the library lit for many winter celebrations and highlight some of them by sharing stories of how some families, cultures and religions welcome light and keep hope alive with their candles, lanterns, lit trees, menorahs, kinaras, and strings of lights aglow.

1/10: Winter fun! What’s your favorite thing to do in the winter?! Is it sledding, building snow sculptures, making cookies, getting together with friends and family? Today we will share some of our favorite stories highlighting some of the many ways diverse people and families, cultures and religions enjoy the winter season.

2/7: Lunar New Year and New Beginnings. “Lunar New Year is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. It is the most important holiday in China, and it is also widely celebrated in Korea, Vietnam, and countries with a significant overseas Chinese population. While the official dates encompassing the holiday vary by culture, those celebrating consider it the time of the year to reunite with immediate and extended family” (Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art). We will share Lunar New Year and other spring stories.

3/21: Purim & Costume Party. Purim is a joyous Jewish holiday affirming and celebrating the survival and continuity of Judaism throughout history by telling the story of Queen Esther’s success in saving her people from a mean spirited destructive man. Celebrations include costumes, dramatizations, songs, and special food. In our storytime, we will share Purim stories and others related to the themes of heroines and the triumph of kindness. Come in your favorite costume!

4/11: Earth Day and Environmental Justice. Spring is a wonderful time to celebrate the wonders of our planet, commit ourselves to working towards its health and to making sure that everyone benefits equally from a healthy and safe environment. Storytime today will celebrate our earth and environmental justice.

Nov 1 1:00 PM13:00 CDJL Storytime: Honoring our ancestors Sunday, November 1, 2026 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 13:00 14:00 Google Calendar ICS Fall is a time people from many traditions celebrate holidays and rituals of remembrance that honor ancestors such as Samhain, All Saints’ Day, Dia de los Mu**to...

09/04/2026

Rest in power Gloria. Thank you for showing us the possibilities. The CDJLibrary was founded and is run by two educated working women with their own bank accounts and credit cards who vote every chance they get and who are empowered to, and empower others to, make their own choices in a world of possibilities many of which Gloria showed us. Thank you MS. Steinem. To democratizing knowledge!

Rest in power, Gloria Steinem.

She understood that librarians do more than connect us with books. They democratize knowledge, protect our inner lives, and make freedom possible.

Access to information is power. Reading the books others want banned is an act of resistance.

Honor Gloria’s legacy. Read her work. Support libraries and independent bookstores. Keep fighting for equal rights and the freedom to know.

09/01/2026

We encourage librarying as a full body sensory experience. If this is you or your kid, never fear that you and your library joy are welcome at the Children’s Diversity & Justice Library. Books can go back on shelves. Freely exploring whole new worlds comes first.

08/26/2026

08/26/2026

Never

The inaugural recipient of TNLA's Making A Difference Award, Dolly Parton. May we all strive to be like Dolly.

08/25/2026

Our hearts are breaking at the loss of a patron saint of our home in East Tennessee and of literature for children. Dolly inspired us. Her spirit will continue to do so. 318 million books she gave away to children. 318 million. We are so honored to have worked in this space of literacy, children, Appalachia and love and respect for all people alongside her. Read a book today! Better yet, give one to someone who needs one!

08/06/2026

All 123 books banned by KCS will get another look with fresh eyes, and a committee will handle any complaints going forward. The school board made the decision after the "Roots" controversy made national news. See link below ⬇️

📸 Saul Young/News Sentinel

08/05/2026

Success! And so much fun! Thank you to everyone who made our Summer Reading Party such a great event! The stories were full of summer adventures and even a little adrenaline (Sarah and the Big Wave: The True Story of the First Woman to Surf Mavericks), the reading trackers were turned in, prizes handed out, CDJL bracelets and necklaces created, books checked out, new patrons visiting, and kids having fun outside while adults visited.

Stay tuned for our fall line up of events coming soon and updated fall evening hours. For now, we are open Mondays 9:30am - 4:30pm and 5:30pm - 7:30pm, Tues - Thur 9:30 am - 4:30pm and Sundays 9:30am - 12:30pm. To learn how to visit and borrow books see https://cdjlibrary.org/borrowcdjl