intellectual freedom Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Tracking the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Libraries

By Hannah Weinberg | March 19, 2025

While the legality of many of these actions is still being decided by the courts, librarians, archivists, and other information professionals have been working through the confusion to preserve access to information. Below are several examples of the challenges libraries have faced over the past two months and the ways in which librarians and advocates have … Continue reading Tracking the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Libraries →

Newsmaker: James W. Lewis

By Megan Bennett | February 11, 2025

The bequest from Lewis, whose love for libraries dates back to his childhood in North Carolina, will provide needs-based scholarships for those training to be librarians. The gift will help fund ALA’s Spectrum Scholarship Program, which provides money for students of color pursuing their master’s degrees in library and information science. “Libraries are the most … Continue reading Newsmaker: James W. Lewis →

2024 Year in Review

By American Libraries staff | January 2, 2025

New values for challenging times On January 21, ALA Council approved five new Core Values • access • equity • intellectual freedom and privacy • the public good • sustainability Council cochairs Erin Berman and Sara Dallas explained the reasons for the changes: “This is a crucial moment for our profession, as our library community … Continue reading 2024 Year in Review →

ALA Vows to Defend Core Values

November 6, 2024

In response to the results of the 2024 US election, ALA vowed to continue its defense of the core values of librarianship in the face of political threats. “We know that many of our members are concerned that the election results portend attacks on libraries, library workers, and readers,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “Whatever … Continue reading ALA Vows to Defend Core Values →

‘We Have to Work Together’: Action Beyond Banned Books Week

By Paula Mauro | October 2, 2024

DuVernay’s credits in film and television include Selma, 13th, Queen Sugar, and When They See Us. Two of her films have been inspired by frequently challenged books: 2018’s A Wrinkle in Time, based on the Newbery Medal–winning title by Madeleine L’Engle, and 2023’s Origin, centering on the life of Isabel Wilkerson, author of Caste: The … Continue reading ‘We Have to Work Together’: Action Beyond Banned Books Week →

‘We Are the Majority’

By Sanhita SinhaRoy | September 19, 2024

Publishers, authors, librarians, booksellers, national organizations, and other library supporters were among those attending the summit, the third of its kind in ALA’s nearly 150-year history. The last ALA Intellectual Freedom Summit was held in 1953. That summit produced the Freedom to Read Statement, a response to Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s attempts to remove reading materials … Continue reading ‘We Are the Majority’ →

New English Canaan (1637) by Thomas Morton

Censorship Throughout the Centuries

By Cara S. Bertram | September 3, 2024

OIF, which began collecting data about censorship attempts in US libraries in 1990—and started observing Banned Books Week in 1982—was formed in 1967 to provide tangible support to library workers as they sought to uphold the intellectual freedom tenets of the Library Bill of Rights and ALA’s Freedom to Read Statement. As high-profile battles with … Continue reading Censorship Throughout the Centuries →

Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Association

We All Belong

By Cindy Hohl | September 3, 2024

September is an exciting time to welcome people into the library as we celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month and observe Banned Books Week, this year scheduled September 22–28. Since 1982, Banned Books Week has been a critical national program aimed at helping everyone see that all stories belong in libraries. October brings TeenTober literacy and … Continue reading We All Belong →

Leading the Change

By Diana Panuncial | July 2, 2024

When people asked about the caution tape, she and the other campaign participants had a flier handy with information about their cause. “By the end of the week, there were at least 100 kids at my school who had participated in the caution tape campaign,” she shared. “That’s what allowed us to expand.” Goodman-Bhyat, co-president … Continue reading Leading the Change →

Channeling Courage

By Diana Panuncial | June 30, 2024

Velshi, who is chief correspondent for MSNBC and host of the TV segment Velshi Across America, shared this message during his June 30 talk at the American Library Association’s 2024 Annual Conference and Exhibition in San Diego. While discussing his book, Small Acts of Courage: A Legacy of Endurance and the Fight for Democracy (St. … Continue reading Channeling Courage →

Council I: Elevating Intellectual Freedom

By Megan Bennett | June 29, 2024

The Council rules (CD#5.1) and agenda (CD#8.4) were adopted. The minutes from ALA’s 2024 LibLearnX Conference in Baltimore (CD#2.2) meetings were approved. Interim ALA Executive Director Leslie Burger shared the Executive Board’s actions since LibLearnX (CD#15.1) and the implementation of Council Actions from the January conference (#9.1). Cindy Hohl, ALA president-elect and Committee on Committees … Continue reading Council I: Elevating Intellectual Freedom →

Seeking Sanctuary

By Ed Finkel | June 3, 2024

Texas House Bill 900, which would have restricted materials in school libraries and required vendors to assign book ratings based on so-called appropriateness before selling them to schools, had just been signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in June and was set to go into effect September 1, 2023. (On September 19, the bill was temporarily blocked … Continue reading Seeking Sanctuary →

Latest Library Links

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David Pierce writes: “Views are the most visible metric on the internet. You can see, in more or less real time, how many views something got on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and most other video platforms. A view is the universal currency of success—more views, more fun. But it’s all nonsense. Views are nothing. Views are lies. A ‘view,’ in reality, is not a universal metric. It’s not really anything. It is whatever a platform wants it to be, which usually has no actual correlation to whether someone actually encountered and experienced a piece of content.”

The Verge, Apr. 5
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Dina Denham Smith writes: “Managing sticky, emotionally loaded situations comes with the territory of leadership. When facing a situation that will be emotionally challenging, people often default to one of two unproductive responses. Many avoid thinking about it altogether, distracting themselves with low-priority tasks like emails. Others do the opposite—ruminating and worrying without taking meaningful steps to manage their anxiety or prepare. Both approaches tend to backfire, making us feel worse and leaving us less emotionally equipped when the moment arrives. Fortunately, there are proven ways to prepare yourself for meetings where emotions are bound to run high.”

Harvard Business Review, Apr. 2
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Matilda Battersby writes: “On April 2, US President Donald Trump shocked global markets by announcing a slew of tariffs on imports from around the world. Documents published by the White House after the announcement, however, suggest that printed books may be exempt from the US tariffs. However, distribution services and booksellers are warning that the uncertainty caused by tariffs will make it harder for books to reach US shores, even if the exemption is proven.” E-readers are not exempt, and several manufacturers have already raised prices.

The Bookseller, Apr. 4; White House, Apr. 2; Good E-Reader, Apr. 4
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James Folta writes: “Reductress is one of the best humor sites out there. They have an amazing editorial staff and a talented pool of writers who keep their headlines and articles sharp and surprising. Recently, the team partnered with Phenomenal Media to launch Reductress Book Club, devoted to making jokes about books and reading culture. I reached out to McKayley Gourley, who is part of the editorial team behind the Book Club. We talked about the Book Club’s voice, unspoken rules around books, her favorite funny novels, and the funniest thing to read on your commute to work.”

Literary Hub, Apr. 3
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Lolita C. Baldor writes: “The US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, has removed 381 books from its library after being told by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office to review and get rid of ones that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), US officials said Tuesday. The Naval Academy had not been included in President Donald Trump’s executive order in January that banned DEI instruction, programs, or curriculum in kindergarten through 12th grade schools that receive federal funding. A US official said the academy was told late last week to conduct the review and removal. It isn’t clear if the order was directed by Hegseth or someone else on his staff.”

Associated Press, Apr. 1; US Naval Academy
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On April 7, ALA released its State of America’s Libraries 2025 report, an annual snapshot of library trends, as part of National Library Week taking place April 6–12. As in recent years, the 2025 report documented censorship in libraries from the previous year. In 2024, ALA recorded 821 attempts to censor library books and other materials across all library types. This is a decrease from the 1,247 attempts that were recorded in 2023 but still the third-highest number since ALA began tracking library censorship in 1990.

AL: The Scoop, Apr. 8
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Natalie Fahmy and David Rees write: “[Ohio] House Finance Committee members folded countless provisions last week into House Bill 96, legislation meant to outline Ohio’s budget for the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years. [Included in the bill is a provision that requires] public libraries to place material ‘related to sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in a portion of the public library that is not primarily open to the view of the persons under the age of 18.’” The proposed budget also eliminates the state’s Public Library Fund, which receives 1.7% of Ohio’s general revenue fund, and replaces it with a line item appropriated each year.

WCMH-TV (Columbus, Ohio), Apr. 8, Apr. 1; Dayton (Ohio) Daily News, Apr. 8

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