Stewart, Henry | American Libraries Magazine

Henry R. Stewart, 74, dean of Troy (Ala.) University Libraries from 1996–2014, died February 1. Stewart was a longtime member of the Alabama Library Association and served as president in 2001–2002 and as the chapter’s ALA Councilor from 2009–2015. He received the Alabama Library Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2013. Prior to joining Troy University, he served as director of William Allen White Library at Emporia (Kans.) State University and associate dean at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

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Deborah Caldwell-Stone writes: “US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the law enforcement division of the Department for Homeland Security. ICE must operate in accordance with the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the laws of the US. When ICE agents make inquiries about library patrons, state laws and library policies concerning the privacy and confidentiality of library patron records still apply, including provisions that require law enforcement agents to present a court-issued subpoena, court order, or warrant to obtain patron information.”

Intellectual Freedom Blog, Jan. 24
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Anna Tingley writes: “Two documentaries premiering at Sundance this weekend are set thousands of miles apart—in Nairobi, Kenya and Texas, respectively—but at the heart of their stories is the same thesis: the importance of libraries to any healthy democracy. Kim Snyder’s The Librarians follows a group of librarians who have resisted book bans in Texas, Florida, Iowa and beyond. The urgency of the Sarah Jessica Parker-produced documentary is underscored by another film on the lineup: Maia Lekow and Christopher King’s How to Build a Library, which follows two Kenyan women’s mission to restore a public library in the country’s capital, Nairobi, and transform the formerly whites-only library into a cultural hub that reflects the contemporary, youthful, creative metropolis that exists today.”

Variety, Jan. 26
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Meg Tapia writes: “[Australian] laws governing organized crime are effective because they focus on patterns and networks, not necessarily the commodities criminal syndicates trade in. Laws treating disinformation similarly would focus on scale, coordinated inauthentic behavior, financial patterns, and systematic manipulation for profit or influence, not content or controlling platform access. This would target orchestrated disinformation infrastructure while preserving freedom of expression. The approach would allow governments, social media companies and their cyber allies to better tackle disinformation networks and actors.”

The Strategist, Jan. 20
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Kiara Alfonseca writes: “The US Department of Education’s (DOE) Office for Civil Rights has announced that it is rescinding all past guidance issued against the removal of books and will no longer employ a coordinator to investigate instances of unlawful book removals. The department also announced that it has dismissed 11 book ban complaints and six pending complaints. According to the DOE, the complaints alleged that the removal of these books ‘created a hostile environment for students.’” DOE’s press release announcing these changes claimed it was “[Ending] Biden’s Book Ban Hoax.” ALA has issued a statement in protest.

ABC News, Jan. 25; US Department of Education, Jan. 24; ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Jan. 26
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American Libraries is accepting submissions for the 2025 Library Design Showcase, our annual feature celebrating new and newly renovated libraries of all types and sizes. The showcase will appear in the September/October issue. We are looking for examples of innovative library architecture that address patrons’ needs in unique and effective ways. We are especially interested in submissions from libraries that are approaching design with sustainability, accessibility, and smaller budgets in mind. Partial renovations, projects under $1 million, and school libraries are encouraged to apply. To be eligible, projects must have been completed between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.

American Libraries Trend, Jan./Feb.
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On January 27, ALA announced the top books, digital media, video, and audiobooks for children and young adults—including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, and Printz awards—at the 2025 LibLearnX conference in Phoenix. The First State of Being (Greenwillow) by Erin Entrada Kelly received the Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature, and Chooch Helped (Arthur A. Levine), illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz and written by Andrea L. Rogers, won the Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children. A complete list of the 2025 award winners follows.

AL: The Scoop, Jan. 27
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ALA launched Show Up for Our Libraries, a campaign to harness the collective power of library advocates to influence elected leaders and policymakers, January 22. ALA President Cindy Hohl said, “Many library advocates are rightfully concerned about what the next four years hold for our nation’s libraries. Libraries—and many people we serve—are facing unprecedented challenges and uncertainty.” ALA kicked off the campaign with a proactive call for supporters to get their elected leaders on the record about how they plan to protect the freedom to read and federal funding for libraries.

ALA Public Policy & Advocacy Office, Jan. 22

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