Industry News

The incidence of books removed from school library shelves due to a book challenge has risen to 30 percent, up from 19 percent in 2022. The rise in book removals occurred across school levels: elementary, middle, and high schools.

Twenty-four percent of school librarians have been harassed this past year over books or displays in their library. That’s according to a recent SLJ survey, which found the rate even higher among high school librarians, 30 percent of whom have experienced harassment.

School librarians in 2023 are more likely to decline purchasing certain titles based on the content of those books, according to SLJ's survey. The number of high school librarians naming sexual content has increased significantly, from 60% in 2022 to 75% in 2023.

Awards season is heating up, along with reader interest in current speculation. Betsy Bird puts it out there in her latest Prediction Edition. Also trending on SLJ, booklists that honor the Latinx experience to savor with young readers in this commemorative month and beyond.

EveryLibrary has joined the School Library Journal (SLJ) Blog Network. Covering legislation, censorship, funding, and advocacy, “Politics in Practice” will encompass the full beat of the nonprofit organization, which solicits support for libraries—K–12, public, and academic—nationwide.

The longtime literacy advocate and host of Reading Rainbow and the LeVar Burton Reads podcast is the first actor to serve as honorary chair of the annual event, which is Oct. 1-7 this year. 

In a first for the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Meg Medina establishes office hours at the Library of Congress; AASL opens submissions for Innovative Reading Grant; there are big changes at Teachers College; the Mathical Book Prize submissions are open; and more in this edition of News Bites.

If our goal is to prep students for high-stakes tests, they won't stand a chance against AI. Changing the outcomes of education becomes the imperative, says Christopher Dede.