PEN America:
Congress Seizes on ‘Parents Rights’ Agenda to Nationalize Censorship in Public Schools
#libraries #bookbanning
https://pen.org/congress-seizes-on-parents-rights-agenda/

A quotation from Kurt Vonnegut

   And on the subject of burning books: I want to congratulate librarians, not famous for their physical strength or their powerful political connections or their great wealth, who, all over this country, have staunchly resisted anti-democratic bullies who have tried to remove certain books from their shelves, and have refused to reveal to thought police the names of persons who have checked out those titles.
   So the America I loved still exists, if not in the White House or the Supreme Court or the Senate or the House of Representatives or the media. The America I love still exists at the front desks of our public libraries.

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922-2007) American novelist, journalist
Essay (2004-08-06), “I Love You, Madame Librarian,” In These Times Magazine, Vol. 29, No. 20 (2004-08-30)

More about this quote: wist.info/vonnegut-kurt-jr/840…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #vonnegut #kurtvonnegut #kurtvonnegutjr #bookbanning #bookburning #censorship #freedomofthought #librarians #library #privacy

Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. - Essay (2004-08-06), "I Love You, Madame Librarian," In These Times Magazine, Vol. 29, No. 20 (2004-08-30) | WIST Quotations

And on the subject of burning books: I want to congratulate librarians, not famous for their physical strength or their powerful political connections or their great wealth, who, all over this country, have staunchly resisted anti-democratic bullies who have tried to remove certain books from their shelves, and have refused…

WIST Quotations

The bill H.R. 7661 (Stop the Sexualization of Children Act) is still in the house and threatens to pull funding from both school and public libraries! Any book with sexual content or depictions of trans people could be pulled from shelves. Say goodbye to your spicy romance books friends. And if you think they'll stop at censoring what books can be in libraries, I envy your optimism.

Call your representatives today to tell them you don't support this bill!

#books #censorship #bookbanning

In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers

After more than two years, the return of H.B. 900, which would require bookstores and vendors to review all books in Texas schools at their own expense and rate them for sexual content, is a tense, and unwelcome development for freedom-to-read advocates.
The post In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2026/05/in-the-u-s-texas-asks-court-to-resurrect-unconstitutional-book-rating-law-alarming-publishers-and-booksellers/

#AAP #ABA #AuthorsGuild #BookBanning #BookBans

Ousted library director wins $475,000 settlement in discrimination lawsuit against Montgomery County

The lawsuit filed last year by Rhea Young alleged she was fired in retaliation for refusing to segregate and limit access to books containing LGBTQ+ themes or ideas.

Houston Public Media
US saw record high of 5,668 books banned in libraries in 2025, says agency

Most-banned book was Sold, a 2006 novel by Patricia McCormick about sex trafficking in India

The Guardian

Book Industry Coalition In Opposition Of The Federal Book Banning Effort

National Library Week April 19=25, 2026 Publishers, authors, booksellers, librarians, parent groups, and literary organizations—including PW—have collectively signed a statement against House Resolution 7661, a proposed book banning legislation known as the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, introduced by its sponsors.HR 7661 aims to modify the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to prevent federal education funds from being allocated to public classrooms and school […]

https://barland7.wordpress.com/2026/04/19/book-industry-coalition-in-opposition-of-the-federal-book-banning-effort/

Penguin Random House Urges U.S. Congress to Reject Republican Book Banning Bill

"The bill creates strong incentives for schools to remove or avoid a wide range of books and materials," wrote PRH SVP Skip Dye in a letter to lawmakers, adding that, if passed, the law would also force educators and librarians to self-censor, resulting in "further marginalization of vulnerable communities.”
The post Penguin Random House Urges U.S. Congress to Reject Republican Book Banning Bill appeared first on Publishing Perspectives.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2026/04/penguin-random-house-urges-u-s-congress-to-reject-republican-book-banning-bill/

#BookBanning #Diversity #FreedomtoRead #Librarians #PenguinRandomHouse

“The wording of the bill proposes giving an inspector appointed by the ministry the broad power to look at “any matter relating to the management, administration or operation of a public library,” and have access to records they deem relevant. It then would give the minister the authority to make “any order that the minister considers appropriate.”

Apologies - I’m out of articles to gift.

#censorship #bookbanning #albpoli #albertapolitics #alberta

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-critics-fear-albertas-plan-to-curb-access-to-graphic-material-2/

Critics fear Alberta’s plan to curb access to graphic material threatens privacy of library users

Library directors question what will happen when authorities are ordered to check out what someone is checking out

The Globe and Mail

They didn’t come with matches
Didn’t come red-faced
Didn’t pound the table
Like men in old stories
Who wanted the world smaller by force

No, this was cleaner than that...
https://medium.com/prismnpen/the-shelf-she-wouldnt-move-poetry-526e76d1b7c3?sk=6854d931cef205031bc73ac0390df57e

#LGBTQ #Poetry #QueerPoetry #USPolitics #Libraries #BookBanning

The Shelf She Wouldn’t Move (Poetry)

When “protecting children” means removing LGBTQ+ stories

Medium