1-Eiko in Russell Library-web

December 29, 2015 850 × 567 Eiko Otake at Russell Library: “A Body in a Library”

Eiko Otake began her performance in the courtyard of Russell Library. For her, the tree was a connection to the material of the books in the library. Photo: William Johnston

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Kelly Jensen writes: “The Moms For Liberty-affiliated review site BookLooks, which provides cherry-picked passages from novels so that members can lodge challenges of titles, is shutting down on March 23 [according to a March 10 notice on the site]. Whether or not this is a publicity stunt—there are more than a handful of institutions utilizing the site [including St. Francis (Minn.) Area Schools and Warren County (N.J.) Library]—is yet to be determined. But the announcement brings with it a load of questions in the broader context of book and curriculum censorship.”

BookRiot, Mar. 10, May 16, 2022; KMSP-TV (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Dec. 9, 2024; TAPInto Phillipsburg (N.J.), Nov. 25, 2024
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On March 7, ALA announced a change to the slate of candidates for 2026–2027 ALA president on the 2025 ALA election ballot. Andrea Jamison, assistant professor of school librarianship at Illinois State University in Normal, has withdrawn her candidacy for ALA president-elect and Intellectual Freedom Round Table director-at-large. Her name has been removed from the election ballot, which was sent to ALA members on March 10. ALA members may vote in the 2025 election from March 10–April 2. A recording of the March 7 candidates’ forum is available.

AL: The Scoop, Mar. 7
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Meaghan Darwish writes: “Abbott Elementary explored an important lesson on book bans in its March 5 episode, aptly titled ‘Books,’ which saw Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Ava (Janelle James), and librarian Ms. Inez (Cree Summer) combat the dangers of uninformed parents. While the series is always good about tackling topical issues, Abbott Elementary’s decision to address book bans in school libraries is especially appropriate, as more and more librarians are being forced to remove titles from the shelves across the country.”

TV Insider, Mar. 5
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Drew Wilder and Julie Carey write: “On March 4, Warren County (Va.) Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 to defund Samuels Public Library in Front Royal and threaten its ability to stay open. The library is a nonprofit overseen by a board of trustees, but it counts on the county for about 70% of its operating budget. The [county] board has been trying to gain more control over the library after some residents complained about certain books in the collection [and previously withheld the library’s budget in 2023]. At public meetings, the majority of residents speaking have urged the county to keep the library open.”

WRC-TV (Washington, DC), Mar. 5; Northern Virginia Daily (Strasburg, Va.), Oct. 4, 2023
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David Free writes: “The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Competencies for Library Workers Task Force invites feedback on a draft of the proposed ‘AI Competencies for Academic Library Workers.’” Anonymous feedback can be provided online by March 26. Further discussion will be held at the ACRL 2025 Conference in Minneapolis during the “AI Competencies for Library Workers: Shaping the Future of Academic Libraries” session to be held 10:30 a.m. on April 3.

ACRL Insider, Mar. 6
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Bayliss Wagner writes: “Llano County, Texas, has agreed to settle a lawsuit over its firing of librarian Suzette Baker amid a pressure campaign to remove several books from its public libraries, according to a March 6 court filing. While the county and Baker have tentatively agreed to the ‘material terms’ of the settlement, details will not be made public until they are finalized, Baker’s attorney told the Austin (Tex.) American-Statesman. Outside of Baker’s lawsuit, the county is still facing a federal First Amendment lawsuit over the book removals.”

Austin (Tex.) American-Statesman, Mar. 8; June 8, 2024; Sept. 24, 2024
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Cindy Hohl writes: “The spring equinox is upon us—a time of renewal. This spring, let us greet new life and welcome the positive energies that surround us. And as with each season past, we have an opportunity to reflect on how best to create meaningful experiences for everyone using and working in libraries. It is with this certainty that I choose to view the world around me: relying on cycles, recognizing the strength of the constants, and respecting the resilience we gain by how we respond to changes. Change is a constant, but it doesn’t always result in upheaval.”

American Libraries column, Mar./Apr.

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