Censorship news and advice for librarians and educators from School Library Journal
LJ Talks to Wasilla Public Library Director By Norman Oder - 10/15/2008
What’s it like at Alaska’s Wasilla Public Library 12 years after Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin (then Wasilla mayor) asked former library director Mary Jane Baker about the book-banning process? Library Journal finds out from director KJ (Kathy) Martin-Albright (photo above). More
Put Up Your Dukes! What to Do When a Group of 'Concerned Citizens' Wants to Ban Books By Pat Scales - 11/01/2008
An irate parent recently stormed into our school and complained that members of a religious group were standing outside our gate, handing out copies of the New Testament to students. Our secretary made things worse by getting into a verbal battle with the parent. Can you offer any advice? Since the group wasn't standing on school property, it probably wasn't breaking the law.
More
VA School Librarians Reject Donated Titles By Lauren Barack - 10/10/2008
A conservative Christian organization recently rallied outside a Fairfax County public school in Virginia to protest the decision by high school librarians to reject donated books, some of which argued against same-sex marriage.
More
CA District Reinstates 'Twilight' Books After Ban By Lauren Barack - 10/09/2008
There’s nothing like a good vampire novel to draw concern — and Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling Twilight series (Little, Brown, 2005) is no exception.
More
A Censor's Sensibility? 10/01/2008
Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin may not have banned any books as mayor of Wasilla or governor of Alaska, but allegations that she flirted with the idea and fired a library director for being disloyal has some librarians and others up in arms. A blog launched on September 3 called Librarians Against Sarah Palin! (librariansagainstpalin.
More
Off the Hook 10/01/2008
Officials in Lewiston, ME, have decided to halt prosecution of a woman who refused to return a library book on sex education that she calls obscene. JoAn Karkos still must pay a $100 fine and is barred from the Lewiston Public Library, but she won’t be sent to jail for violating a judge’s order to return a library copy of Robie Harris’s It’s Perfectly Normal (Candlewick,...
More
No Jail for ME Woman Who Took Library’s “Obscene” Book By Norman Oder - 09/10/2008
The city of Lewiston, ME, has decided not to pursue further prosecution of a woman who refused to return a library book on sex education she calls obscene.
More
PreS-K–A five-year-old (rabbit) awakes one morning to discover that there will be no school, no daddy flying home today, and no going outside–until the snow stops.
Your Photos
The staff of Salinas Public Library (CA), aka The John Steinbeck Public Library, pose with Lewis Buzbee, author of Steinbeck's Ghost, a middle-grade novel that centers around the threat of the library's closing in 2004. After a difficult struggle, the library remains open and has just extended its hours to seven days a week.
View All Stories
