Public Libraries

In the latest lawsuit battling censorship, Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks have filed a lawsuit challenging an Idaho law that restricts books in both public and school libraries. 

The American Library Association issued a strong statement in response to the actions of the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights, saying, in part: "In their cruel and headlong effort to terminate protections from discrimination for LGBTQIA+ students and students of color, the Department of Education advances the demonstrably false claim that book bans are not real. Book bans are real."

PEN America and EveryLibrary respond to the action taken by the Trump administration, which called the book bans "a hoax" and also voided a resolution agreement with Forsyth County (GA) Public Schools.

The Supreme Court will hear the case of Maryland parents who want their kids to be able to leave the classroom when materials with LGBTQIA+ characters are used by educators, an Idaho public library system creates "adult only" room and ends the ability for children to access other branches in the system, and more in censorship news.

An attempt to add Angel of Greenwood to the high school language arts curriculum was rejected by the Pine-Richland School Board, Florida's censorship attempts move to public libraries, and more in censorship news.

Oklahoma and New Hampshire legislators file bills to monitor library materials and promote parental rights, while a New Mexico lawmaker moves to protect librarians.

The 2021 School Librarian of the Year reflects on a busy year and promises to keep fighting censorship attempts and anti-library legislation in 2025.

With the expected attempts to enact the plans defined in Project 2025, librarians must act strategically within their schools, communities, and local and state legislation to ensure the future of libraries. Experts share tactics and advice for the upcoming fight.

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.