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The Missouri House approves state budget that strips public libraries of funding, students protest in Oregon, a 100-year-old woman speaks out against censorship in Florida, a Utah parent challenges the Bible, and more in this week's censorship news.

The American Library Association recorded 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since the organization began compiling the data more than 20 years ago.

The fight against censorship attempts and book banning continues. Here are some of the latest stories from Florida, Utah, Virginia, Michigan, and Connecticut.

The American Library Association offers a special fund for librarians whose jobs have been threatened or lost because they have fought against censorship; 'Olivia' author Ian Falconer dies at 63; Ezra Jack Keats Awards announced; and more in this edition of News Bites.

Amid harmful library legislation across the country, the Illinois secretary of state proposed a law that would punish schools and libraries that ban books. Meanwhile, news from Virginia, Ohio, Utah, and Arizona is not as book-positive.

Announcing the decision to appeal, Jones said she is "committed to going the distance and fighting for my right to a fair trial against those who have sought to destroy my good name."

Here is a look at the strategies and messaging in eight states with recent bills to remove the prosecution exemption for librarians and educators in current obscenity laws.

Governor Ron DeSantis accuses critics of creating a false narrative around school book removal in Florida; parents want books pulled in Maine; and news from South Carolina, Tennessee, and Iowa.

As censors attack, administrators issue directives; getting ahead of Moms for Liberty; a parent bars his son from the debate team.

Laurie Halse Anderson is the 2023 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award laureate; People includes Carolyn Foote and Becky Calzada on its list of "Women Changing the World," and more in this edition of News Bites.

At least 17 states have proposed legislation that would remove the defense of prosecution exemption for librarians and educators under obscenity laws.

A roundup of recent book challenge efforts and news on the fight for intellectual freedom from Alaska, Pennsylvania, and Missouri.

A roundup of recent book challenge efforts and the news on the fight for intellectual freedom from Florida to California.

Kaye Johnson brought a statement from George M. Johnson, the author of All Boys Aren't Blue, which was one of six titles a group wanted removed from the public library. The Board of Trustees decided that all six titles will remain on the shelves at the Glen Ridge Public Library.

The nonprofit organization offers comprehensive resources on creating community advocacy organizations to fight censorship, and monitor and speak out against legislative efforts.

The 2023 Youth Media Awards and librarian opinions about the Newbery dominated reader attention.

Book bans are often argued to be an infringement of First Amendment rights, but are they also a violation of civil rights? In the case of Granbury (TX) ISD, the ACLU of Texas says yes. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is looking into it. 

As campaigns step up efforts to pull books from school and public library shelves, it's critical to have tools to defend titles.

The free online course for high schoolers features a powerful list of guest speakers, including author Ashley Hope Pérez, Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani, and student activist Jack Petocz.

Pat Scales explains why understanding terminology will keep LGBTQIA+ books on the shelves; why parents shouldn't have to know what their kids read; and more. 

These podcasts and librarian interviews give listeners something to think about to start the new year.

New York doctor Jaclyn Sisskind shares the positive impact books have made on her patients and her concern for the harm of book bans.

 For our September issue, journalist Martha Hinton reported on new approaches to teaching the topic of slavery in U.S. classrooms. 

Censorship and the fight for intellectual freedom led our most viewed stories of the year, along with recommendations toward “Refreshing the Canon,” a joint project with NCTE.

Take a look back at the SLJ Summit in November with pictures of speakers and attendees.

With coverage ranging from first-person accounts to vital information and resources, SLJ covered censorship from all angles in 2022.

Because of Florida legislators who support the “Don’t Say Gay” law and book banning, some school librarians objected to the location. AASL president Kathy Lester says having the conference there means standing with local librarians.

The Tuscaloosa City (AL) Schools superintendent fielded questions from SLJ Summit attendees during a Town Hall event.

These organizers are leading the way in their local areas and have advice for those who want to join the fight.

The three kid lit authors traveled to Florida and used their time during the public comments portion of the meeting to tell the board why they should return the Essential Voices Collection titles to the shelves.

To illustrate dedicated coverage about censorship in school libraries, Doug Chayka created this striking image for SLJ's February 2022 issue.

We Need Diverse Books will launch a multi-pronged effort to fight book banning attempts that are disproportionately impacting diverse books and support educators, students, and authors.

Ellen Oh's keynote address at the 2022 SLJ Summit extolled the impact of school librarians, the power of books, and the need to keep fighting against censorship attempts.

At the SLJ Summit in Minneapolis, school librarians came together to discuss books, censorship, and mental health, as well as to offer one another support, new ideas, motivation, and inspiration as the advocacy fight continues.

New Jersey high school librarian Martha Hickson is the NCAC's 2022 recipient of the Judith Krug Outstanding Librarian Award.

A school librarian worries about a vocal parent; a public librarian shares concerns about possible challenges; and a trans student takes on the school board.

Districts in South Carolina, Michigan, and Iowa remove books, while Florida requires elementary schools to post all available library materials, books in classrooms, and reading lists in the latest Censorship Roundup.

Jones won't give up the fight, even after a judge ruled against her in a civil case against those who launched personal attacks against her after she spoke at a public library meeting. 

Elissa Malespina lost her job last spring after a performance review, which cited her book displays on race and LGBTQ themes. The 23-year veteran educator shares her experience to counter censorship and help fellow librarians know they are not alone.

“Imagining a world with you.” That’s the message on a new poster illustrated by award-winning artist Chan Chau and produced by SLJ and the Children’s Book Council to support LGBTQIA+ children and teens.

Efforts to shield children from perceived unpleasantness, however well intentioned, ignore the genuine fear and anxiety that kids must grapple with in their daily lives.

The Right to Read Act would help fund certified school librarians and well-resourced libraries across the country; the Philadelphia superintendent is looking for help from the city's public library system; Levine Querido launches a Spanish imprint; and more in News Bites.

Amanda Jones took her harassers to court but has lost the case.

Virginia Beach City school staff were accused of breaking the law, and books were removed in Michigan, North Carolina, and South Carolina in the latest Censorship Roundup.

School librarians ask Pat about possible parental pushback, principal mandates, and political pressure on collections.

Book honors, they’re coming. The 2022 titles longlisted for the National Book Award help kick things off and mock Newbery deliberations are in high gear. As for Banned Books Week, the not-a-celebration event drew plenty of announcements, commentary, and ongoing attention from our readers.

Demo Defense uses a web tutorial to walk librarians through reporting challenges and finding support, as well as to help the public donate to the organizations fighting against censorship.

As students seek out books that are currently being challenged and removed from shelves, librarians and their fellow educators can also point them to titles with censorship and book banning themes.

Former Katy, TX, student Cameron Samuels writes about their experience fighting book bans and rallying fellow students to join them.

The first comprehensive look at book bans in the 2021-22 school year breaks down the numbers by state, author, title, content, and legislative pressures. 

A “striking” illustration and a feature well of articles covering an unprecedented national wave of censorship were honored with 2022 Eddie and Ozzie Awards.

The organizations leading the fight for intellectual freedom need data, money, and locally led action—big and small—from people who support the right to read and access materials.

EveryLibrary Institute polled voters about book banning and dug into the numbers. For 75 percent of those surveyed, book banning will be an issue they take to the polls in November.

Ahead of Banned Books Week, which begins Sunday, the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom released data on challenges from January to August of this year.

Banned Books Week (BBW) starts on Sunday. While some school librarians are avoiding the week-long event because of censorship attempts and community controversy, others will engage students in BBW activities and conversations.

This is not the year for reflection, but a call to action. 

In the latest Censorship Roundup, books are coming off the shelves and "safe space" stickers being removed to comply with state legislation; there is one big win for Barnes & Noble (and Maia Kobabe and Sarah J. Maas), but many more battles being fought district by district.

In the past year, school librarians have faced coordinated, hate-filled censorship campaigns that impact available books and collection development decisions. Here, they share their stories.

Samuels, the former Katy (TX) ISD student who led the student protests against censorship, talks about the fight for intellectual freedom and what Banned Books Week means to them.

“If not me, who else?” Given the abuse Amanda Jones suffered—she was publicly accused of promoting pornographic materials in the library’s children’s section—“Why me?” might have been more like it. Instead, the school librarian took measure.

New policies are impacting school library purchases in Pennsylvania and Florida; one Texas district cancels its Scholastic Book Fairs for the year; and a South Carolina state senator threatens to eliminate the salaries of public library executives in his county in the latest Censorship Roundup.

Censorship continues to dominate news and reader attention on SLJ.com.

"America's Censored Classrooms" looks at state legislation around the country that is aimed at limiting what K-12 educators can teach about subjects such as race, gender, and American history.

The Louisiana librarian is taking her harassers to court. 

Collier County, FL, has added a "parent advisory" notice to more than 100 books in school libraries, and more LGBTQIA+ titles are being removed from districts across the country in the latest Censorship Roundup.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression is ready to go to court against school boards and districts taking books off the shelves, but they need high schoolers to lead the way.

School Library Journal has been named a finalist in the 2022 FOLIO Awards for its censorship coverage.
 

As book censorship efforts in the U.S. reach new heights, are you amplifying your Banned Books Week efforts or scaling back? Be part of our reporting.

Here's what's trending on SLJ.

Bigotry and threatened violence in her Idaho community led Delaney Daly to reconsider her dream job. The experience left her "confident and knowledgeable" to take the next step in her library career.  

A look at the latest in censorship attempts around the country spotlights actions in North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, and Missouri.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is accepting proposals for two grant programs, the Biden administration launches new education initiative, author Linda Sue Park will lead a new imprint, and unionized HarperCollins workers have planned a one-day strike.

A principal forbids students from talking about a challenged book; librarians question reading levels and defend unrestricted library access for children.

The ALA community was elated to be face-to-face again, talking about issues that matter to the industry. Comments made during a Unite Against Book Bans panel set off a Twitter firestorm that laid bare the emotion and complexities of the censorship discussion.

School librarians await the interpretation of three new laws that will impact what and how they teach as Florida Freedom to Read Project founders fight for books to stay on the shelves.

ALA, the Virginia Association of School Librarians, PEN America, and more speak out against a lawsuit attempting to require parental consent for minors to purchase Gender Queer and A Court of Mist and Fury at Barnes and Noble in Virginia and more in our latest roundup of book censorships attempts around the country.

How to handle confrontational parents; a principal's reprimand; supporting LGBTQIA+–themed books; and more advice on challenges and censorship.

The effort to ban books in schools and libraries has made headlines, resulting in a big boost in sales of the most contentious titles.

The letter, signed by 1,300 children's and YA authors and read into the record at a congressional hearing, spoke of the harm to kids from book censorship.

In response to a new Utah law regarding "sensitive materials in schools," the state's attorney general's office issued an official memorandum that outlines the constitutional protections for students and library materials. Educators can use it as a tool to push back against district attempts to remove books from the shelves.

Author Rick Riordan wrote a blog post in response to fans upset with the Disney+ casting of Percy Jackson and the Olympians; publishers and educational organizations join ALA's Unite Against Book Bans; and more, in this edition of News Bites.

Reporters and editors—we at SLJ included—want to get the story right, to bear witness, and to provide readers with accurate, relevant information. But the tenor of an increasingly polarized debate, with efforts to limit discussion of racism and LGBTQIA+ topics in the classroom, challenges journalists—much less educators and students—who must navigate a volatile climate.

In the latest Censorship Roundup, administrators pull books from shelves and require parental consent based on individual complaints and an organization's list of "problematic" titles.

With the message "Open books, open doors," this beautiful poster by Rafael López is available to SLJ subscribers and here, as a download. Created by SLJ, supported by Penguin Random House, and in partnership with NCTE, NCAC, PEN America, FReadom, and Library Journal, the powerful image promoting free expression is also available as social graphics for sharing on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.    

To support teachers and librarians in the face of ongoing censorship, School Library Journal and Penguin Random House—in partnership with PEN America, NCAC, NCTE, FReadom, and Library Journal—have created a poster that vividly illustrates the importance of intellectual freedom.

We Need Diverse Books is fundraising for LGBTQIA+ book donations, President Biden speaks out against book banners, May 6 is Floyd Cooper Day, and more in this edition of News Bites.

After Google pulled the interactive reading app from its store because of the inclusion of Dawn McMillan's I Need a New Butt in its collection, Library Ideas appealed and won. The iVOX app is available again in the Google Play store.

Two New York City library systems are opening up their collections to readers across the country; YALSA needs a Pura Belpré award committee volunteer, LitUp writing fellowship is accepting applications, and more in this edition of News Bites.

LGBTQIA+ authors and writers of color are getting fewer invitations to speak to students at schools as attempts to ban books continue across the country.

As adults try to pull books from school library shelves across the country, students are responding with book clubs centered on the challenged titles.

Graphic novel authors Kim Hyun Sook and Ryan Estrada, who wrote about Kim's experience in a banned book club in South Korea in the 1980s, now find their book relevant to U.S. students.

Recent censorship developments include a decision to keep the Bible in the library and classrooms at a Kansas high school, and the removal and review of the Epic! digital library app because of a concern over An ABC of Equality and other titles.

Once again books with LGBTQIA+ characters and themes are the most challenged titles across the country.

Office for Intellectual Freedom's Deborah Caldwell-Stone says the list of most challenged books in 2021 illustrates the efforts of organized organizations to exclude LGBTQIA and Black voices from school and public libraries.

In response to new legislation and customer requests, Follett was working on optional features that would allow parents to request to be notified what book their child has checked out of the library and limit their access to materials. They will no longer be creating those options.

Is it unconstitutional to ban books from a school library? Pico didn't provide an easy answer, but the ACLU and a couple of  Missouri students are suing arguing that the removal of books from the Wentzville R-IV district is a violation of their First Amendment rights.

In our May issue, you’ll find an 18-by-24-inch poster promoting the freedom to read. Famed artist Rafael López created the warm, hopeful image, which ­conveys the power of reading to open minds and hearts.

A look at some of the latest news in censorship attempts around the country. In this installment, read about what's happening in districts in Kansas, North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.

Alongside a national rise in censorship, we've received queries about our review process. For readers experiencing a challenge to a book or anticipating one, SLJ reviews editor Shelley Diaz and a panel covered the ins and outs of what we do.  

An elementary librarian feels unprepared for challenges; a Texas librarian is told to purge titles; a principal forbids students to write to their governor protesting book removal push.