4h
Ralph Chapoco writes: “Three authors and a free-speech organization filed a federal civil lawsuit October 30 against the state board overseeing Alabama’s libraries, alleging a rule that limits minors’ access to books with transgender-related content violates the First Amendment. The plaintiffs (Kit Rosewater, Page Powars, Phoenix McDonald, and Read Freely Alabama) argue the code changes approved by the Alabama Public Library Service last November to prohibit library materials with content related to transgender people in the children’s section amount to content-based discrimination.”
Alabama Reflector, Nov. 2; Nov. 21, 2025
9h
Josh Snyder writes: “Pride Puppy!, an alphabet book about a family’s search for their missing dog at a Pride parade, is no longer blocked on the digital library available to elementary school students in the North Little Rock (Ark.) School District. The book is among 50 administrators instructed staff to hide on the Epic! Digital Reading Platform a year ago, citing their LGBTQIA+ content. In an October 23 memo, administrators said teachers can now allow access to the 50 previously blocked titles because nobody had filed a formal complaint seeking to restrict access to them.”
Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Nov. 1
1d
Online attacks have affected several libraries recently. A ransomware attack caused a network outage at Queens (N.Y.) Public Library November 4. The attack affected the library website and mobile app, digital media, book renewals, Wi-Fi, return machines, and on-site computers, although some services have been restored. Several university libraries have reported websites slowing or crashing due to overwhelming data-scraping bot traffic. Free Library of Philadelphia took its catalog offline from October 23 to November 10 for an update to address “reports of widespread vulnerabilities in PHP, a language used by the online catalog,” although no security breaches were found.
WABC-TV (New York), Nov. 8; CBC News, Nov. 5; Free Library of Philadelphia, Nov. 10
1d
Dianne Connery writes: “A library serving a few hundred people and one serving tens of thousands have a lot in common in their questions about artificial intelligence (AI). Who gets represented in AI? Who gets left out? Who gets a say? There is no customer service number you can call to fix what ChatGPT says about your town. At Pottsboro (Texas) Area Library, our pilot program asks three simple questions. What does AI know about our rural community? What do our neighbors want it to know, and not know? And how do we make that happen?”
Public Libraries Online, Nov. 4
2d
While the election’s blue wave dominated headlines, state and local measures also provided many nuggets of good news for libraries. In Ohio, voters approved all 11 levy renewals on the ballot, but only two of five new levies or renewals with increased rates. New Mexico voters passed a statewide library bond, as well as local measures in Las Cruces, Bernalillo County, and Sandoval County. Texas voters largely rejected book banners on school boards and flipped the state Board of Education. Bridgeton, New Jersey, voters overwhelmingly rejected a measure to dissolve its public library. In Palm Beach County, Florida, voters passed a $175 million bond for library construction and renovation.
Ohio Library Council, Nov. 4; Las Cruces (N.Mex.) Sun-News, Nov. 3; Anger & Clarity, Nov. 9; NJ.com, Nov. 4; WPEC-TV (West Palm Beach, Fla.), Nov. 3 ;
2d
Election results did not all run in libraries’ favor. Florida’s Amendment 3, which will reduce the value of homes subjected to property taxes that fund local services, passed. Advocates anticipate severe impacts on public libraries. In Ohio, Stark Library in Canton expects cuts to services and hours after a 2-mill renewal and 0.3-mill increase was narrowly rejected. Voters also rejected a library funding referendum in Bourbonnais, Illinois; the library board warned of service reductions as a result.
CBS News, Nov. 4; Keep Libraries Funded Florida, Nov. 4; Stark Library, Nov. 4; Canton (Ohio) Repository, Nov. 4; WVLI-FM (Bourbonnais, Ill.), Nov. 4, Nov. 6
2d
Joe Hernandez writes: “It is something of a truism in the library world that, when economic conditions worsen, people use libraries more. Patrons and librarians across the US tell NPR they’re seeing that pan out now. Data shared with NPR by several of the largest public library systems in the U.S. show recent upticks in cardholder membership, circulation and event attendance. Librarians say part of that can be attributed to the rising cost of living—and the growing recognition that libraries’ resources extend far beyond physical books.”
NPR, Nov. 5
