In this week's look at censorship attempts around the country, a Texas judge's ruling is an early victory for residents who sued claiming that their Constitutional rights were violated by the book removals. Meanwhile, titles are removed from schools in Spotsylvania, VA, and legislation seeking to limit access and criminalize librarians advances in Arkansas and North Dakota.

Judge Orders Return of Books Removed from Llano County, Texas, Public Libraries | CNN

A group of residents filed a lawsuit stating that their First and 14th Amendment rights were violated by the removal of the books, which were taken off the shelves because of their LGBTQ and racial content. The library system cannot remove any books for any reason while the case is ongoing, the judge said in his order.

ND Lawmakers Advance Book Ban Bills |KYFR TV

The legislation would remove or relocate books deemed to have “explicit sexual material” from public libraries’ children’s collections.

Weare, NH, School Board Considering New Policy on Challenging Materials in School Libraries | WMUR9

The proposal would allow only current students, parents, or guardians to file a formal request to have books or other materials removed from a library.

14 Books Being Removed From Spotsylvania School Libraries | NBC4 Washington

The titles that were taken off the shelves for sexual content in the Virginia district include Beloved by Toni Morrison and Sold by Patricia McCormick.

Panel OKs Changes to Bill Intended to Regulate Obscene Books in Arkansas Public Libraries | Camden News

The bill creates an offense for "furnishing a harmful item to a minor" and eliminates protection for librarians from criminal prosecution under obscenity laws. It would also allow committees of librarians and legislative panels to require a school or public library to "relocate" challenged books within their library instead of removing them completely.

Head of Central Arkansas Library System Pledges to Defend Employees if Charged Under New State Law | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Nate Coulter said he is operating under the assumption that the legislation will go into effect and the library system will have to "operate under its burdens, and we'll do what we have to do to comply with it."