ALA submits comments opposing book banning for House hearing

Unite Against Book Bans logo On behalf of the American Library Association (ALA), ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) Director Deborah Caldwell-Stone, J.D, submitted a letter to the chair and ranking member of the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform for its April 7 hearing, “Free Speech Under Attack: Book Bans and Academic Censorship.” OIF counted 729 challenges to library, school, and university materials in 2021, a historically high number and a four-fold increase over 2020.

ALA, Apr. 8; NPR, Apr. 4

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Anne Ford writes: “From outside, Downtown Reno Library of Washoe County (Nev.) Library System looks like a big square brown box. ‘There’s no pizazz out front,’ says Kristen Ryan, branch manager. So when people walk inside and find a lush central atrium with an abundance of philodendrons, spotted begonias, and other greenery; several towering trees; and a reflection pool, they tend to gasp the same thing: ‘Oh my god, look at all the plants!’”

American Libraries column, May
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“Every year, ALA recognizes the achievements of more than 200 individuals and institutions with an array of awards honoring their service to librarians and librarianship. Winners are chosen by juries of their colleagues and peers and embody the best of the profession’s leadership, vision, and service as well as a continued commitment to outreach and equity, diversity, and inclusion. Award recipients were honored at a June 30 ceremony and reception during ALA’s 2024 Annual Conference and Exhibition in San Diego.”

American Libraries feature, Sept./Oct.
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Rick Anderson writes: “‘Are libraries neutral?’ This is the question that was posed at the ALA Midwinter President’s Program in Denver a few years ago. A diverse panel of librarians was asked to take turns responding to that question, with results that were sometimes very interesting and sometimes fairly predictable. There was a very big problem, though, and it lay in the organizing question itself. One can’t really answer it meaningfully without first asking a clarifying question: ‘neutral’ about what? In some ways neutrality in the library is clearly a very bad idea—and yet in some important ways, it’s absolutely essential.”

The Scholarly Kitchen, Sept. 3
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JoelYana Kunichoff writes: “Joel D. Valdez Main Library in Tucson, Arizona, could close for downsizing renovations in December, with a proposed plan to reopen in a different location at a future date. The change, along with the closure of more branches and the transition of one to a library administrative building, are part of a series of proposals for the Pima County Public Library system. The proposed changes are necessary because of chronic staffing shortages and the financial weight of some of the library locations, as well as strains faced by the system in responding to community needs like health care, shelter, and food, a draft report said.”

Arizona Luminaria, Aug. 27
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Ian Hodgson writes: “A coalition of the nation’s largest book publishers filed a lawsuit August 29 against Florida education officials alleging that a 2023 Florida law that increased scrutiny of school library books unconstitutionally limits free speech. The law requires school librarians to remove books that contain ‘sexual conduct,’ with no consideration of the work’s educational or artistic merit, according to the complaint. Once a parent or resident of the county objects to the book, it must be removed within five days and remain unavailable until the objection is resolved.”

Tampa Bay Times, Aug. 29
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Louise Hoffman Broach writes: “Moms for Liberty and the Rev. Jacob Marchitell asked New York State Supreme Court in Wayne County August 23 for an injunction that would remove five books from the Clyde-Savannah (N.Y.) Junior-Senior High School library. The school board followed its policy and convened a committee to review the books when Marchitell first brought his complaint in the spring of 2023. After a review, the committee unanimously determined the material was not pornographic.” Following another complaint from Maritchell, the board removed the books in August 2023, but returned them the following month, and denied an appeal in April 2024.

Finger Lakes Times (Geneva, N.Y.), Aug. 27
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ALA will present a free webinar for library workers about Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on October 2. The webinar will explain how to obtain student loan relief from the PSLF program, which is administered by the US Department of Education. PSLF will forgive the federal student loan balances with qualifying employment history at a government or non-profit organization, such as many school, academic, public, and special libraries. To date, nearly 1 million public servants—including qualifying library workers—have received more than $69 billion in loan forgiveness under PSLF.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Aug. 29; American Libraries feature, June 2022

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