law and legal issues Archives | American Libraries Magazine

ALA, AFSCME File Lawsuit against Trump Administration

April 8, 2025

The full statement reads as follows: ALA, the largest library association in the world, and AFSCME, the largest union representing museum and library workers, are challenging the Trump administration’s gutting of IMLS—a nonpartisan and independent agency dedicated to supporting and funding libraries and museums and the crucial community services they provide in every state across the country. The … Continue reading ALA, AFSCME File Lawsuit against Trump Administration →

Dulcé Sloan speaks on stage during the closing session for the 2024 Public Library Association Conference on April 5 in Columbus, Ohio.

Protect Yourself

By Megan Bennett | April 8, 2024

“I have a copy of the Magic School Bus that I might have checked out in 1991 from the library in Sandy Springs,” Sloan said. “It’s somewhere in my mom’s house. If you want to go to Stone Mountain, maybe you can find it. I think I have the fine in my purse if you … Continue reading Protect Yourself →

2023 Year in Review

January 2, 2024

Another record year for book challenges Preliminary data from the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) through August 31 showed a 20% increase in reported book challenges for 2023—surpassing the record set in 2022. The data also showed an increase in challenges that targeted multiple titles, with libraries in 11 states receiving challenges that included 100 or … Continue reading 2023 Year in Review →

Figuring Out Fair Use

By Carrie Russell | November 1, 2023

Many of us harbor an unfounded fear of copyright litigation. “Better safe than sorry” is a frequent assertion. But that attitude can keep users and creators of copyright-protected content from engaging in personal and educational activities that are unlikely to infringe copyright law. That excess caution is, consequently, contrary to the values of librarianship, teaching, … Continue reading Figuring Out Fair Use →

A cartoon depiction of a librarian holding a stack of books with a group of protestors behind her.

How We Fight Back

By Christina Sterbenz | September 1, 2023

All because she spoke at a public library board meeting last year. “I said, ‘Hate and fear have no place in Livingston Parish,’” says Jones. “It was an innocuous speech, a speech on censorship that any librarian would give.” The meeting, which occurred in July 2022, was intended to address general book content at Livingston … Continue reading How We Fight Back →

Training Wreck

By Kathleen Daniels | September 1, 2023

The law, known as House Bill 1467, required the state’s department of education to develop what is now known as the Library Media and Instructional Materials Training. It is mandatory for all public school library media specialists and instructs library staffers to “err on the side of caution” when choosing materials. As of January 2023, … Continue reading Training Wreck →

United We Stand

By Angelo Moreno | September 1, 2022

Here are some strategies that helped us along the way: Talk with colleagues. Building worker power begins when workers talk with one another about their experiences on the job. When my colleagues and I started talking more, we realized that many of us shared the same issues and were able to discuss what we believed … Continue reading United We Stand →

Letters of the Law with Tomas A. Lipinski

Materials Challenges in the Library: What Does the Law Say?

By Tomas A. Lipinski | August 5, 2022

Our online column Letters of the Law explores a wide range of legal issues that arise in libraries, with the help of a pair of leading authorities: Mary Minow, a librarian who became a lawyer, and Tomas A. Lipinski, a lawyer who became a librarian. Together they have authored four books on the subject, including … Continue reading Materials Challenges in the Library: What Does the Law Say? →

Photo of Latia Ward, Academic Insights column. Text says "Academic Insights by Latia Ward"

Accessing Justice

By Latia Ward | June 1, 2022

This scenario is an example of both a reference transaction and an access-to-justice issue. Many people do not have easy access to an attorney and will come to the library seeking legal information. Librarians are not authorized to give legal advice, but they can direct patrons to useful organizations and resources. According to Jessica Steinberg, … Continue reading Accessing Justice →

Graphic: Letters of the Law with Mary Minow

What Does My Library Need to Know about Ebook Laws?

By Kyle K. Courtney and Mary Minow | May 17, 2022

Our online column Letters of the Law explores a wide range of legal issues that arise in libraries, with the help of a pair of leading authorities: Mary Minow, a librarian who became a lawyer; and Tomas A. Lipinski, a lawyer who became a librarian. Together they have authored four books on the subject, including … Continue reading What Does My Library Need to Know about Ebook Laws? →

Challenging Times

By Terra Dankowski | March 26, 2022

“The freedom to read and the fight against book bans is something we’re all thinking about a lot these days,” said American Library Association (ALA) President Patricia “Patty” M. Wong in her opening remarks at the March 24 Big Ideas session. She reported that book challenges had more than doubled from 2020 to 2021. But … Continue reading Challenging Times →

Dream It to Achieve It

By Terra Dankowski | March 25, 2022

She was a young adult and her mother was serving time for a drug offense. She remembers “just how deceiving that three-inch plexiglass” was as she gripped the phone tightly during the contactless visitation. At that point, everyone she knew was somehow affected by the war on drugs, “which was really a war on Black … Continue reading Dream It to Achieve It →

Latest Library Links

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Aviva Bechky writes: “For more than a century, Canadians have used nothing but a narrow sidewalk to cross their national border into Vermont and enter the Haskell Free Library and Opera House. Now, however, the US Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to limit access to the library from the Canadian side of the border. After [October 1], anyone in Canada who wants to use the library’s main entrance must cross at an approved checkpoint or use an entrance on the Canadian side of the library that is about to undergo renovations.”

American Libraries Trend, Apr. 14
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“Tabletop game collections are an increasingly popular addition to libraries. They can provide innovative new ways for patrons to interact with library collections, and they can support hours of programming and events. But you know what makes game collections 20% cooler? When they’re discoverable in your library catalog! We at the ALA Games and Gaming Roundtable (GameRT) understand: if you’re not a cataloger, cataloging probably seems daunting. To that end, GameRT’s Metadata Committee has developed a guide for cataloging tabletop games, created for both catalogers and non-catalogers alike.”

ALA Games and Gaming Roundtable, Apr. 11
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Willie Swett writes: In St. Tammany Parish (La.), the March 29 ballot measure to renew a 4.35 mill tax “that provides 96% of the revenue for the parish’s 75-year-old library system received relatively little formal backing some of the parish organizations that had endorsed [a simultaneous measure to rededicate sales tax revenue to the criminal justice system, possibly] due to the controversy the library system has faced since 2022 over minors’ access to items with sexual and LGBTQ+ themes. [Despite this,] fifty-five percent of voters approved the library millage.”

Nola.com, Apr. 6
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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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