A bill in Ohio would criminalize teachers and librarians for having "obscene" books in their collections; New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu pulls state librarian nomination after pressure from conservative groups; districts in Kansas and Tennessee remove and restrict titles; and more in censorship news.

More than 8 million students, educators, families, and librarians from as many as 100 countries are expected to take part in fun and engaging activities that encourage creative expression during the fourth annual Crayola Creativity Week, running January 27 through February 2.

IMLS-funded, READCON provides free, self-guided training to help library practitioners build strong community relationships, ­manage ­difficult situations, and engage stakeholders. Public, school, and academic library workers are also welcome to READCON's ­Legal Landscape of Librarianship Forum, February 18–20.

New planets, secret headquarters, extraterrestrial creatures, and other cosmic delights fill the pages of these works for elementary through high school readers. 

The new law in New Jersey aims to limit book removals and protect librarians from criminal prosecution; in Illinois, some school districts are choosing to lose state grants instead of complying with its Freedom to Read law; additional titles removed in Oregon and Tennessee; and more in censorship news.

A class-action lawsuit alleges Lucy Calkins, Heinemann Publishing, and Fountas & Pinnell, among others, engaged in "deceptive and fraudulent marketing" that resulted in harm to students exposed to the whole language reading method and curricular products; registration is open for LibLearnx in January; auction offers rare items and experiences to benefit We Need Diverse Books; and more in News Bites.

A national network of organizations revitalizing communities through public spaces, Reimagining the Civic Commons offers helpful information for libraries to connect their efforts to larger goals, as well as to the work of their neighbors.

What’s captured reader attention the last seven days? Top picks in middle grade and graphic format books, along with the political climate and the potential impact on schools and libraries.

Utah has added Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott to its list of books banned at all public schools; the Texas state board of education wants legislation giving it  control of school library collections; and Crank by Ellen Hopkins remains on South Carolina high school shelves, but students will need parental permission.