Banned Books Week turns a page in the fight against censorship
This week marks the annual Banned Books Week across the country, which celebrates free speech and rallies against censorship. The Hawaiʻi Library Association and American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii partnered to launch this year's celebration, which is themed “Censorship is so 1984. Read for your rights".
Wyoming libraries fear financial ruin from youth book policy bill
CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Legislature is considering a bill that librarians from across the state say will eliminate young adult and teenage sections from public libraries, calling it unnecessary and
Ayotte vetoes Republican-backed public school book ban bill
The book ban bill vetoed by Gov. Kelly Ayotte would have allowed parents to request books, films, and other items that depicted nudity and sexual contact to be removed from their child's school.
Appeals Court Reverses Ruling in Texas Book Ban Case
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on May 23 reversed a district court’s preliminary injunction and dismissed free speech claims in Little v. Llano County, a Texas case challenging the removal of 17 books from a public library.
US military ordered to pull books on diversity, gender issues
The Pentagon ordered military educational institutions to pull and review any books that promote what it called "divisive concepts and gender ideology" on Friday, in the latest move from President Donald Trump's administration against diversity, equity and inclusion.
North Dakota governor vetoes controversial library content bill • North Dakota Monitor
North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong vetoed a library content bill, calling it “a misguided attempt to legislate morality through overreach and censorship.”
Mississippi libraries ordered to delete academic research in response to state laws - Mississippi Today
The two research collections state officials ordered for deletion included material from professional journals, conference papers, books, student dissertations, periodicals and newspaper articles.
Naval Academy removes nearly 400 books from library in new DEI purge ordered by Hegseth's office
U.S. officials say the U.S. Naval Academy has removed nearly 400 books from its library after being told by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office to review and get rid of books that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
Iowa law banning school library books that depict sex acts on hold again after a new federal ruling
A federal judge says Iowa for now cannot continue to enforce part of its book ban law. The decision Tuesday gives major publishers that sued the state their latest temporary reprieve.
Lawmakers consider ‘Freedom to Read’ bill as latest attempt to limit book bans in Oregon schools
Proponents point to historic highs in book ban attempts, largely targeting people of color, women and LGBTQ+ communities. Opponents argue it should be up to the parents.
Archivists Work to Identify and Save the Thousands of Datasets Disappearing From Data.gov
More than 2,000 datasets have disappeared from data.gov since Trump was inaugurated. But analyzing exactly what happened and where it went is going to take some time.
AAUP Joins Lawsuit to Block Trump’s Unlawful and Unconstitutional DEI
The AAUP, along with the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education and other plaintiffs has filed a lawsuit to block Trump’s unlawful and unconstitutional DEI executive orders,
Judge rules Arkansas law allowing criminal charges against librarians is unconstitutional
A federal judge has struck down key parts of an Arkansas law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing so-called “harmful” materials to minors.
Democratic state lawmakers back bills protecting individual freedom to read and think • Rhode Island Current
Democrat Rhode Island lawmakers on Wednesday promoted a suite of bills motivated by the Freedom to Read movement — an assertion of libraries’ right to hold controversial books, amid an ongoing culture clash over the written word.
Banned Books Week starts with mixed messages as reports show challenges both up and down
Two new reports provide a mixed but compelling outlook on the wave of book removals and challenges as the annual Banned Books Week begins for schools, stores and libraries nationwide.
Publishers File Additional Amicus Brief Supporting First Amendment Rights of Llano County Library Patrons in Full Court Rehearing of Little v. Llano County - AAP
On September 10, 2024, AAP and allies filed a second amicus brief in support of Texas public library patron plaintiffs in Little v. Llano County following the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ order of a full court rehearing of its June 6, 2024 decision. That earlier decision largely—but not entirely—upheld a preliminary injunction against the unconstitutional […]