Library banned this book ... you won't believe what happened next!

With the explosion of Information sources on the internet, it is more important than ever to brush up on your media literacy skills.

• Washoe County Library to cut costs; will close half of its twelve branches by July 1, 2017.
• Library closure announcement at the Nevada Reading Week conference leads to teacher riots at Sparks High School.
• Activists stage book burning demonstration at the Northwest Reno Library.
• Angry Washoe County residents assault Assistant Library Director at local reading conference.
• Due to ongoing controversies, Washoe County Library System will no longer offer any books by author Ellen Hopkins.
• In order to raise needed funds for new books, school libraries in Washoe County to charge entrance fees.

Wait ... what?

All of these attention-grabbing headlines, of course, are false. Unfortunately, many of the news stories shared widely across social media are just as lacking in truth. Because we are sometimes lazy, or prone to have our own biases reinforced, we don't always do the best job of verifying the information we consume.

The growth of the internet and the ease of sharing on social media have blurred the lines between fact and fiction, leading to an increase in false data, "truthiness," and propaganda masquerading as reputable news. Misleading headlines grab readers' attention. Sometimes, the intention is to mislead; often, the motivation is advertising revenue.

Washoe County Library System is ready to be your partner in becoming a media-savvy consumer of information, connecting you to the resources you need to make informed decisions, and to help your children do the same. Take a look at these resources, and remember that when in doubt, the library is here to help!

• Explore web-based resources, including guides and toolkits, articles, and tools for the classroom.
• Need help finding the best information? Contact a librarian or visit your library for assistance.
• Want to search for information from vetted, reliable sources? Select "Articles and Research" in the search bar above to search our extensive research databases.

The headlines shared above were posted to social media during the 2017 Nevada Reading Week conference, and linked to this article to demonstrate the importance of reading the links we share, of vetting article sources, and of checking facts.