On July 21, the Movement for Black Lives’ National Day of Action, a team of four public librarians with backgrounds in social justice launched a new initiative, Libraries4BlackLives (L4BL). Jessica Anne Bratt, branch manager at Grand Rapids Public Library, MI; Sarah Lawton, neighborhood library supervisor for Madison Public Library, WI; Amita Lonial, learning experiences manager at Skokie Public Library (SPL), IL; and Amy Sonnie, adult literacy and lifelong learning librarian at Oakland Public Library, CA, joined forces earlier in the summer to create a website that would bring together library-based advocates who want to support the ideals and activism behind the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
Here’s how AI is already transforming DEI—and what leaders should keep in mind
AI is being used in DEI efforts to enhance insight and implementation in employee lifecycle-related tasks, and to scale and support the work of DEI staff.
To Combat Book Bans, Los Angeles County Library May Open Digital Access Statewide
Two Los Angeles County supervisors will propose Tuesday that the county library system make its eBooks available to all California teens and residents.
Llano head librarian resigns as county library staff wanes
Tina Castelan took over as head librarian at the Llano Library last December. This month, she said she submitted her resignation to Library Director Amber Milum. On Monday, Castelan said she was as…
Huntsville votes to privatize library after dispute over banned books and pride display
City leaders have declined speaking with the media about these matters but documents said a move to privatize the library was decided in an effort to help save money.
School librarians felt vilified as pornographers. Now they must navigate a new law.
Indiana school librarians worry a new law banning materials that are “obscene” or “harmful to minors” will cause them to essentially self-censor when picking books, cutting LGBTQ students off from material they might connect with. Supporters of the law say it will protect children from pornographic…
Landmark Civil Rights Agreement Over Book Bans in Forsyth County (GA) Schools
EveryLibrary applauds the Office for Civil Rights at the UD DOE for issuing Title IX and Title VI Resolution Agreement and Finding Letter about the Forsyth County School District's book bans and school library censorship.
Penguin Random House and Florida parents sue school district over book bans
The publishing house, five of its authors, parents and an advocacy group allege that removing the books discussing race and LGBTQ people violates the First Amendment.
From colouring books to abolition newspapers and Reader’s Digest magazines, thousands of titles are banned in prisons and jails across the country, often with opaque reasons and with little oversight, Alex Woodward reports
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Library Association praised the Prison Libraries Act, introduced today by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO-5th), along with co-leads Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18th) and Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH-11th), and 25 cosponsors.
National Library Week kicks off with the highly anticipated annual list of Top 10 Most Challenged Books and State of America's Libraries Report
CHICAGO — Today, the American Library Association (ALA) kicked off National Library Week with the release of its highly anticipated list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2022 and the State of America’s Libraries Report, which tells the story of how libraries are innovating and adapting to improve the well-being of their communities in the midst of censorship challenges. This year, however, there were multiple books that received the same number of challenges – resulting in the expansion of the list to 13 titles.
Missouri House Republicans want to defund libraries. Here's why
The proposal is not yet final; it must clear the state Senate. But for those who manage or use the state’s 160 library districts, especially in rural areas where services are not as robust, the threat feels real, librarians and patrons told the PBS NewsHour.
Battle over book bans in Louisiana libraries ramps up in legislatures
Parishes are getting into heated arguments over the discussion to ban books in libraries, which some argue is a targeted attack towards the LGBTQ+ community.
A Texas county that was ordered to return banned books to its shelves is set to consider shutting down its library system | CNN
A rural Texas county that was ordered by a federal judge to return banned books to its public library shelves is now considering shutting down its libraries entirely.
Indiana lawmakers battle over bill that could criminalize librarians for objectionable books
House lawmakers heard hours of testimony over legislation that would strip school and library employees of a legal defense against charges they distributed material harmful to minors.
When is a library not a library? When it’s online, apparently.
pIn March 2020, the Internet Archive, a nonprofit created by the entrepreneur Brewster Kahle, launched a new feature called the National Emergency Library. Restrictions linked to the spread of COVID-19 had made it difficult or impossible for people to buy books or visit libraries in person, and so the Archive removed limits on the digital […]/p