-
‘Tango’ Plaintiffs Plan an Appeal to the 11th Circuit
And Tango Makes Three authors Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, whose First Amendment claim against Florida’s Escambia County School Board was dismissed in federal court last week, will appeal to restore their picture book to public school library shelves.
-
U.S. Faces ‘Expanded and Escalated’ Book Censorship, PEN America Reports
PEN America has released its annual report on the book banning crisis in K–12 public schools, naming the top five most banned titles and authors. PEN found that “the campaign to censor books is increasingly routine,” with Florida, Texas, and Tennessee leading the nation in instances of banning.
-
Court Order Halting Gutting of IMLS Upheld by Appeals Court
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit denied a request by defendants in Rhode Island v. Trump to stay a May 13 preliminary injunction that formally ordered a halt to the dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
-
As Censorship Escalates, Little Free Library Updates Its Book Ban Map
The literacy nonprofit’s interactive Book Ban Map now includes the latest data on censored books at state and county levels, supplied by the ALA and PEN America, as well as the locations of its book-sharing boxes.
-
On Appeal, Copyright Chief Shira Perlmutter Keeps Her Job
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has granted the register of copyrights an injunction pending appeal, allowing Perlmutter to remain in her position despite the Trump administration’s efforts to fire her.
-
Proposed IMLS Budget Passes Appropriations Committees
FY2026 funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services has cleared two legislative hurdles, with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees both endorsing a $291,800,000 agency budget. The next step is a vote by the full House and Senate.
-
National Book Festival Crowds Out Troubling Times
The Library of Congress’s 25th annual event on Saturday enlightened and entertained tens of thousands of book lovers, perhaps distracting momentarily from the political pressures facing the world’s largest library.
-
LOC Cues Up the 25th National Book Festival
In a tumultuous year for the nation and federal agencies, the Library of Congress is getting ready to host its 25th annual National Book Festival, taking place in Washington, D.C., on September 6.
-
AFSCME, Cultural Organizations Ask Court to Reinforce IMLS Protection
Labor union AFSCME and a coalition of library, museum, and cultural organizations filed an amicus brief in Rhode Island v. Trump, standing with the embattled Institute of Museum and Library Services and asking a federal court to commit to an injunction.
-
PRH Presses Forward in Case Against Idaho Book Banning Law
Plaintiffs challenging Idaho’s book banning law, HB 710, in Penguin Random House v. Raúl Labrador filed a notice of appeal on August 21. Three days later, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals scheduled oral arguments for November in a similar HB 710 case.
-
Attorneys General Beseech R.I. Judge to Protect IMLS
Twenty-one states’ attorneys general have asked a federal judge, who granted a preliminary injunction in May, to enter a summary judgment in State of Rhode Island v. Trump and protect the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
-
On Third Attempt, Copyright Chief Again Denied Injunctive Relief
A federal judge, who previously ruled against register of copyright Shira Perlmutter’s requests for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction, denied her latest emergency motion in Perlmutter v. Blanche on August 20.
-
Defiant Fired Copyright Chief Urges Federal Court to Connect the Dots
Shira Perlmutter, who is suing the federal government over the Trump administration’s move to dismiss her as U.S. register of copyrights, once again asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to grant an injunction, drawing connections between the timing of her dismissal and the release of the administration’s AI Action Plan.
-
Freedom to Read Advocates Cheer Decision in ‘PRH v. Gibson’
The American Library Association, Authors Guild, Florida Library Association, Florida Freedom to Read Project, and others see Judge Carlos E. Mendoza’s August 13 order in PRH v. Gibson as an important step in protecting First Amendment rights.
-
Florida Court Upholds Freedom to Read in ‘PRH v. Gibson’
Publishers, authors, and readers are claiming a “sweeping victory” in the decision by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in the lawsuit over the state’s efforts to bar books that “depict or describe sexual content” from school and classroom libraries.
-
Florida Public Schools Remove Library Books, Fearing State Reprisal
At least nine Florida counties have removed hundreds of books from public school classrooms and libraries ahead of the 2025–2026 school year, PEN America reported, amid concerns over legal action from the state’s Board of Education and Attorney General.
-
IBPA Approved as ALA Affiliate
The American Library Association announced July 30 that the Independent Book Publishers Association is now an ALA affiliate. ALA president Sam Helmick and IBPA CEO Andrea Fleck-Nisbet talked with PW about the significance of the alliance.
-
Library Startup Briet Wants to Revolutionize E-Book Sales, Not Licensing
Briet, a new platform affiliated with the Brick House publishing cooperative, is inviting publishers to sell rather than license their e-books to libraries.
-
Censorship from Both Directions: PW Talks with Ira Wells
The author of On Book Banning, a literary critic and associate professor at the University of Toronto, spoke about censorship battles in North America and book banning efforts from the political right and left.
-
In Amicus Brief, Literary Groups Register Opposition to Iowa Law
Ten groups including the Association of American Publishers, American Booksellers for Free Expression, and Independent Book Publishers Association filed a July 24 amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs in Penguin Random House v. Robbins, who are challenging Iowa’s book banning law.
Browse archive by date:
