Book Riot's Censorship News Coverage

As a librarian who trains library staff AND a long time Library Trustee, I have been trying to add information about the recent spate of censorship across the country. While people have always tried to ban books, the current wave is more organized than ever, involving specific groups who are investing people and dollars into coordinated attacks AND it is getting up to the statehouse level on a few places [VA and NH are among the worst right now].

I try to focus my assistance on helping you get your policies and procedures in order at your library. This is my specialty since I am a trustee and have been a collection development librarian. So in a recent presentation I had this slide:

Click here to enter the presentation

These are basic tips on how to get ready for a challenge before it happens. 

I also was a co-author of the Horror Writers Association's statement on Book Banning here.

Now this is only a small part of the censorship landscape. The largest issue is education and information, so we can all stay on top of exactly what is happening, everywhere.

For information, no one is covering this issue with depth and detail better than Kelly Jensen for Book Riot. Jensen is a former librarian, an author, and a member of the Summer Scares Committee. 

Use this link to get access to all of Book Riot's Censorship coverage. Bookmark the link and check it frequently. 

No single one of us can do everything, but working together, and using Jensen as our guide, we can do more.

Staying in the know is one of the most important things you can do to help and prepare your organization. Please don't think you library is safe. I live in one of the bluest counties in the country, in a town whose citizens consider themselves "woke," and we have had very public and serious challenges at our extremely diverse high school [Book Riot covered it]. 

Hopefully you will have some time today and in the days to come to get up to speed on what is going on all over the country. Jensen has made it as easy as possible for you to understand the issue from every angle. 

Apathy is as bad as banning right now. Even if all you do is educate yourself and work to strengthen your library's policies and procedures, you are doing a lot.

And if you want help beefing up your Board's policies and procedures in order to be better prepared for a challenge, contact me. I am offering free advice for the foreseeable future. Email can be found here. Please put Censorship in the subject heading.

Speaking of action, I am off to to an ILA organized meet-up with my local legislators right now.