A Victory for the Freedom to Read, as Judge Orders Banned Books Returned to Shelves in U.S. Military Schools
A federal judge in the Eastern District Court of Virginia today ordered the Department of Defense to restore all books banned in five schools at U.S. military installations, a ruling PEN America called a victory for the freedom to read.
Legendary Actor/Author/Activist George Takei Named Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week 2025 | ALA
Pioneering actor, author, and activist George Takei has been named honorary chair of Banned Books Week, which will take place October 5 – 11, 2025. Takei will be joined in leading the annual event by youth honorary chair Iris Mogul.
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.
Dentons Book Banning Webinar: A View From Bookstores, Libraries and Courtrooms
Has your favorite book been removed from local libraries? The restriction and removal of books in libraries and bookstores–including literary classics–have come front and center in the culture wars.
How a Single Court Case Could Determine the Future of Book Banning in America
Only one library book ban case has ever been decided by the U.S. Supreme Court: Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District No. 26 v. Pico (1982). In 1975, the Island Trees school b…
Book Bans Are Not Just Bad Policy; They Can Raise Civil Rights Issues - ED.gov Blog
By: Matt Nosanchuk, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Operations and Outreach, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education All students deserve access to learning environments that are inclusive and free from discrimination and that nurture their intellect, wellbeing, and creativity, preparing them for success in school and beyond. Books have been the gateway toContinue Reading
Report: “Why Iowa’s Ban on Books with Sex Could Sink Libraries Shared by Schools and Small Towns”
From the Des Moines Register: The small farming community of Alta in northwest Iowa barely has 2,000 residents. The elementary school that shares its name has fewer than 300 students. Neither is big enough to have a quality library on its own. So for the last 20 years, the two have operated a library together, […]
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 […]
Librarians fear new penalties, even prison, as activists challenge books
Across the country, book bans and attempted bans have soared to the highest levels in decades. Public and school-based libraries have been inundated with complaints from community members and conservative activists.
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms That Texas Book Ban Law is Unconstitutional - AAP
Court Ruling Affirms Preliminary Injunction Barring Unconstitutional Book Rating Requirements in Favor of the Coalition of Texas Bookstores, National Booksellers, Authors, and Publishers The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit today affirmed the preliminary injunction of the “Reader Act” (formerly HB 900) granted by Judge Alan D. Albright of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin
Librarians turn to civil rights agency to oppose book bans and their firings
Some librarians who've been fired as they take a stand against discrimination and banning books are turning to a federal civil-rights enforcement agency for help.
New PEN America Report Warns Against Canceling Books Due to Outrage
In a new report, Booklash: Literary Freedom, Online Outrage, and the Language of Harm, PEN America warns that social media blowback and societal outrage are imposing new moral litmus tests on books and authors, chilling literary expression and fueling a dangerous trend of self-censorship that is shrinking writers' creative freedom and imagination.
MI Library Association launches campaign to counter book bans
The campaign encourages people to get involved in efforts to protect libraries from book bans, and tools to help them do that. It comes as public libraries in Michigan and across the country are facing growing organized efforts to ban books some people object to, especially books that deal with themes like racism, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Book Bans, Academic Freedom, and the Academic Law Library: Reflections on an AALL Discussion Den
Discussion Dens are consistently among my favorite programs at the AALL Annual Meeting, and Leslie Street’s Book Bans, Academic Freedom, and the Academic Law Library discussion was truly a highligh…
Enforcement of two parts of new Arkansas law on library materials temporarily blocked by federal judge
A federal judge in Fayetteville on Saturday temporarily blocked enforcement of two provisions of Act 372, a new state law on library materials, days before the law was scheduled to take effect on Tuesday.