From wholesale removal of books from schools to criminalizing membership in the American Library Association, legislators across the country want to take away your freedom to read.
We wear many hats in the library profession, but I don't think anyone would argue with the idea that the most important part of a public library is, and has always been, free access to books and knowledge. We don't believe in limiting viewpoints, perspectives, or experiences when providing reading materials to the public. The American Library Association (ALA), the largest library association in the US, which provides resources for library staff and communities, has a Library Bill of Rights that states it this way:
“Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.”
Read the ALA Library Bill of Rights on the ALA website, opens a new window
Book bans and challenges are attempts to control whose stories can be shared and restrict access to ideas. In recent years, requests to remove books from public schools and libraries have risen considerably. “Challenges of unique titles surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022 numbers, reaching the highest level ever documented by ALA.” These challenges target books about race, gender, and sexuality, especially LGBTQIA+ topics.
Read the article featuring book ban data from the ALA website, opens a new window
Where are these challenges happening?
Everything is bigger in Texas, which had more book challenges than any other state in the year 2023, with around 2300, nearly double the challenges of any other state.
Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 900 which would require vendors who sell books to public school libraries to “assign sexually explicit and sexually relevant ratings to any material the vendor determines meet the law's definitions.” So far this bill has been struck down by courts.
For the first time in United States history, a state is requiring all public schools to remove a list of books from their libraries that are considered “indecent.” This law recently went into effect in Utah and includes books like Forever by Judy Blume and Blankets by Craig Thompson.
Books by Judy Blume at HCPL, opens a new window
Books by Craig Thompson at HCPL, opens a new window
Public libraries fearing fines have moved to make their smaller library collections only available to the 18+ crowd in places like Idaho.
Louisiana politicians are attempting to ban the American Library Association from the state all together. They intend to enforce this by criminalizing librarians for joining ALA or attending an ALA conference.
Read the Book Riot article about Louisiana HB 777 , opens a new window
And in New Orleans, parents get to choose a level of access for what their child can check out from the library. Honestly, this librarian thinks that might be a better alternative than removing books from the library so that no one has access to them.
Middle school librarian Amanda Jones has been threatened by far-right members of her community in Watson, Louisiana for standing up for the rights of her community to have access to books.
“'Just because you don't want to read it or see it does not give you the right to deny others or demand its relocation. If we remove or relocate books with L.G.B.T.Q. or sexual health content, what message is that sending to our community members?’''
Jones has a book out called That Librarian about her experiences.
Positive news?
Some states are fighting back against book bans. In 2023 Illinois passed the first ever law restricting book banning, and California, Colorado and more have followed suit.
Read the Bookriot article about the Illinois law restricting book banning, opens a new window
What is Harris County Public Library doing about it? With the support of the Harris County Commissioners Court, Harris County Public Library became a Book Sanctuary in 2023, “to combat censorship, defend intellectual freedom, and protect the right to read.” You can read the full resolution here.
Read the HCPL news post announcing HCPL as a "book sanctuary", opens a new window
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