ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — American Stage Theatre Company in St. Petersburg may be one of the last places a person would look to grab a book.
But after the passage of Florida education laws which prompted school districts to remove, challenge, or review books, staff decided to take action.
"We felt like we had to step up because a threat to any storytelling is a threat to all storytelling," Avery Anderson, the theatre's director of marketing and communications, said.
Starting Saturday, Feb. 18, the theatre will launch a "Banned Book Library."
The library will feature books that have been banned or challenged in Pinellas County, along with others in Florida schools. Some books have also been given warning labels in some districts like in Collier County, WINK News reports.
Most recently, American Stage said the Pinellas County School Board decided to remove "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison despite pushback from students.
The discussion on book banning has been a widely discussed topics in parts of the country. Other books found on the shelf have also been challenged by education officials outside of Florida.
Books found on the shelf include "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe, "All Boys Aren't Blue" by George M. Johnson, and "This Book Is Gay" by Juno Dawson.
It's only been about a week since Anderson came up with the idea, however the support for staff and donations that poured in have been wonderful, he said.
American Stage is working together with the nonprofit Keep St. Pete Lit and Tombolo Books to make the library come to fruition.
For Keep St. Pete Lit's founder and executive director, the pages hold weight.
"If I didn't see myself represented in books, I don't even know if I'd be standing here today," Maureen McDole said.
McDole said as a mother of a queer child, she feels it's important for him to feel represented in the community. One way to feel seen is through literature.
"When you're banning books that represent people, you're saying, 'You don't matter' and that's not acceptable," McDole said.
The library launches this Saturday. On top of donating or borrowing, books can also be purchased through its partner Tombolo.
Florida's recent education laws include House Bill 1467, which requires Florida public schools to list all instructional material and books in a public online database.
In addition, the Parental Rights in Education law or "Don't Say Gay" by critics, which limits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity. Plus, the "Stop Woke Act," banning school lessons or workplace training that could make participants feel discomfort or guilt.