Becky Calzada wearing a blue blouse, glasses and holding right hand in air as she speaks into microphone

Become Challenge-Ready

June 26, 2023

By working on these two areas, libraries can better prepare for potential materials challenges at their institutions, according to panelists on “Is Your Library Challenge-Ready?” a June 26 program at the American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. “We can’t just hope it doesn’t happen and not be prepared for it,” said … Continue reading Become Challenge-Ready


Pictured: Erin MacFarlane wearing an orange jacket and has yellow hair speaks into microphone as Becky Calzada, wearing glasses with dark hair and a yellow shirt, listens

Louder Together

June 24, 2023

With the unprecedented number of book challenges in the United States this past year, “the rubber meets the road on advocacy when we’re working at the local and community levels,” said moderator Kent Oliver, retired Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library director and senior policy fellow in ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office. Oliver and a panel … Continue reading Louder Together


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ALA to Distribute $1 Million to Support Fight against Censorship

June 22, 2023

On June 22, the American Library Association (ALA) announced that it will be distributing $1 million to expand intellectual freedom initiatives. The full statement follows: ALA will distribute $1 million to support and expand intellectual freedom initiatives as the nation grapples with rising censorship challenges and seeks a greater array of resources to protect the … Continue reading ALA to Distribute $1 Million to Support Fight against Censorship


Photo of Ava Kirtley, who raised money to purchase books from frequently banned lists and gave them away to teens in Walla Walla, Washington.

Meeting The Challenge

May 1, 2023

In summer 2021, several parents and community members challenged a handful of books at the school, including the memoir Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. In response, Kirtley and about 40 of her peers met that fall at a student-run social justice club to discuss how to respond. They made plans to attend the next school … Continue reading Meeting The Challenge


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ALA Supports Information Access on Reproductive Health

August 9, 2022

ALA stands committed to the free, fair, and unrestricted exchange of ideas and the right of library patrons to seek information free from observation or unwanted surveillance by the government or other third parties, in accordance with the law and the US Constitution. ALA opposes policies and legislation that ban content, restrict access to information, … Continue reading ALA Supports Information Access on Reproductive Health


Image of ALA President Patricia "Patty" M. Wong

Leading the Fight

June 1, 2022

Those words were not written about the current spate of book bans, although they certainly apply. They were written nearly 70 years ago, as the ravages of McCarthyism, censorship, and persecution made it necessary to codify a defense of the reading choices of individuals. The 1953 Freedom to Read Statement remains a rallying cry for … Continue reading Leading the Fight


Photo of Librarian's Library columnist Andy Gooding-Call

Standing Up for Intellectual Freedom

June 1, 2022

The Library’s Legal Answers for Meeting Rooms and Displays By Mary Minow, Tomas A. Lipinski, and Gretchen McCord Intellectual freedom in public libraries encompasses more than books. This handy guide, written by a trio of lawyer-librarians, covers these concerns in a direct, plainspoken manner. Using a Q&A format, the authors present succinct legal information for … Continue reading Standing Up for Intellectual Freedom


Book Bans a Focus of State of America’s Libraries 2022 Report

April 4, 2022

The report summarizes library trends and outlines statistics and issues affecting libraries during the previous calendar year. It comes out annually during National Library Week, this year April 3–9. Book challenges Library staff in every state faced an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) tracked 729 challenges to … Continue reading Book Bans a Focus of State of America’s Libraries 2022 Report


Patty Wong

Challenging Times

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



Man in plaid shirt, back to camera, films library patron with a cellphone

Uptick in First Amendment Audits

January 3, 2022

“My heart sank,” Ryan says. She had learned about these encounters in 2020 and knew what they entailed. In First Amendment audits, individuals arm themselves with video cameras, proclaim themselves “auditors,” and enter public buildings, like police precincts and libraries, to record alleged Constitutional violations. “I know what these people do, so when I heard … Continue reading Uptick in First Amendment Audits


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ALA, Divisions Oppose Widespread Censorship Efforts in US Schools and Libraries

November 29, 2021

Due to a dramatic uptick in book challenges and outright removal of books from libraries, ALA’s Executive Board and the Boards of Directors for all of ALA’s eight divisions have released the following joint statement regarding attempts to remove materials that focus on LGBTQIA+ issues and books by Black authors or that document the Black … Continue reading ALA, Divisions Oppose Widespread Censorship Efforts in US Schools and Libraries