Exhibits

The Aurora Public Library District is proud to host diverse exhibits at no charge to our community. Exhibits can be viewed during open hours at library location(s) as described below. If you are interested in exhibiting at the library, please review our Exhibit Policy before submitting your Exhibit Proposal.

The Let Freedom Read Dress

Monday, August 3 - Saturday, August 29

Santori Library Atrium

The Let Freedom Read Dress is a garment that celebrates the American Library Association’s 2023 Banned Book Week’s theme “Let Freedom Read.” Creators Kirby Gene Anderson and Rachel Jane Wittmann hand-made this gown as a statement piece to raise awareness about book bans - including several graphic novels.  

Inspired by early American history, the dress reflects an early 19th-century style worn in the United States. Patriotic colors and style embellishments were chosen to symbolize the country’s founding. Using the American Library Association’s top 13 most frequently challenged books in 2022, book titles were appliquéd to the dress with differing letter sizes to reflect their ranking on this list. The 13 book titles consist of 241 appliquéd and embroidered letters onto the dress, which is made of 13.5 yards of silk taffeta and took 125 hours to create. In opposition to these book challenges, especially the focus on challenging books with LGBTQ+ content, the Let Freedom Read Dress was modeled by Salt Lake City drag artist Gia Bianca Stephens.