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More Than 25 Organizations Join ALA's 'Unite Against Book Bans' Campaign
“Our partners and supporters are critical in moving the needle to ultimately bring an end to book bans," said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. “It’s time that policymakers understand the severity of this issue.”
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Librarians Gather in Texas as Book Bans Mount
TLA recently convened its annual convention in person for the first time since 2019—in the district of a state representative eager to ban books.
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Register Today for AAPI Communities in Conversation #5 Featuring Jai Chakrabarti
There's still time to register for the fifth installment in the AAPI Communities in Conversation series featuring Jai Chakrabarti, author of 'A Play for the End of the World,' in conversation with University of Iowa librarian Jenay Solomon. The Live stream is set for Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 1:00 pm ET.
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Tennessee Bill Gives State Veto Power Over School Library Collections
The bill, if signed, would vest members of the state’s textbook commission with the final decision on whether a challenged book can remain available in public school libraries.
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Texas County Officials Sued over Library Book Bans
A group of library supporters in Llano County, Tex., have filed suit against county officials in federal court arguing that a series of book bans and other actions at the library violates their constitutional rights.
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AAP Asks Court to Permanently Enjoin Maryland Library E-book Law
The Association of American Publishers has asked federal judge Deborah L. Boardman to effectively close the door on Maryland's library e-book law by converting her February preliminary injunction blocking the law into a permanent injunction.
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IBPA Tackles Book Bans
Last Thursday's Independent Book Publishers Association's 'The Battle for Free Expression: Indie Publishers and Libraries in the Fight Against Censorship' panel offered insights from digital media, public libraries, academic research, and online education on the rise in book banning.
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EveryLibrary, PEN America Sound Alarm Over New Kentucky Library Law
Free speech and library supporters say that SB 167—which came back from the dead last week with a dramatic veto override—will empower partisan politicians to take control of public libraries in the state, including decisions about building use and "what information the public can access and what books they can or can’t read."
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The Powerful, Complex Partnership Between Publishers and Libraries
Library director Brian Kenney reflects on a special, if complicated, book business relationship.
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New Kentucky Law Hands Control of Libraries to Local Politicians
In a move that has alarmed library leaders, Kentucky bill SB 167—which came back from the dead last week with a veto override—will empower local politicians to “appoint whomever they want to library boards and block major library spending.”
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AAPI Communities in Conversation: Past Epsiodes
Couldn't make the livestream? No Problem, check out the past episodes of the AAPI Communities in Conversation Series here.
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Emily Drabinski Wins 2023-2024 ALA Presidency
In a statement, Drabinski thanked librarians and said she was eager to get to work on behalf of the profession.
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Blackstone Ends Library Embargo
Nearly three years after it first announced a 90-day embargo to libraries on its newly published audio titles, Blackstone Publishing will change course.
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Maryland Gives Up on Its Library E-book Law
Maryland’s library e-book law is effectively dead. In a recent response filing, Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh said the state would present no new evidence in the case, allowing the court’s injunction blocking the law to stand.
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PEN America Report Documents Massive Spike in Book Bans
The new report finds an astonishing 1,586 book bans and restrictions in 86 school districts across 26 states, targeting some 1,145 unique book titles.
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Congress Investigates Book Banning in Schools
At a three-hour hearing on April 7, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties investigated the jump in book bans in schools and the danger these bans mean for the protection of the First Amendment.
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The TLA Annual Conference Is Back
The Texas Library Association Annual Conference is back in person this year, set for April 25–28 under a conference theme of “Recover, Rebalance, Reconnect.”
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Congress to Hold Hearing on Book Bannings in Schools and Libraries
Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin, chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, plans to hold a hearing April 7 to examine the wave of attempted book bannings in schools and libraries across the country.
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ALA Releases Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021
The 729 challenges tracked by ALA in 2021 represent the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling its list 20 years ago, said ALA president Patty Wong.
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PLA 2022 Conference Exceeds Expectations
The 2022 Public Library Association conference drew nearly 5,000 in-person attendees to Portland, Ore., last week, marking a significant step toward a return to major library conferences.
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