Freedom to Read: Book Challenges and Bans

"Banned Books Week offers an opportunity for readers to voice censorship concerns, celebrate free expression and show their communities the importance of intellectual freedom. Here’s what you can do to fight censorship, keep books available in libraries, and promote the freedom to read!"

Blog Post by Kathy Lester, AASL President, 2022-2023 "An important aspect of working together is supporting each other. This is especially important now as we work to advocate for intellectual freedom and equity of access to school libraries for all students. I have found that a huge benefit of being a member of both my state and national associations has been the opportunity to network, talk with other librarians about common concerns, and receive meaningful advice and support."

"The ALA Ecosystem Initiative is a multi-year effort to strengthen the library ecosystem through identification of shared priorities for action and unified messaging. Today, the effort is guided by the State Ecosystem Subcommittee of the Committee on Library Advocacy (COLA). The group's charge includes examining ALA's practices and policies to ensure alignment with and support for ecosystem best practices, as well as convening ongoing conversations and programming that support and connect ecosystem efforts."

"PEN America tracks all book bans in libraries and classrooms across the U.S. in our Index of School Book Bans, updated for the 2021-2022 school year."

"ALA, established in 1876, has a longstanding commitment to defend intellectual freedom in libraries. Even before the formal adoption of the Library Bill of Rights in 1939, ALA has provided support, guidance, and resources to librarians faced with censorship. Since 1990, the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has maintained a database on challenged materials. ALA gathers information from media reports and individual reports submitted from the form [on this link]."

"Unite Against Book Bans is a national initiative to empower readers everywhere to stand together in the fight against censorship. We are not alone. On both sides of the aisle, large majorities of voters and parents oppose book bans."

"Fight for the First is the first line of defense against attacks against the first amendment. Developed by EveryLibrary, a 501c(4) organization with national reach, Fight for the First empowers communities to act in defense of their constitutional right to free speech. Fight for the First offers the immediate resources that small campaigns need to be successful, as well as the platform to create long-term organizing action. Backed by EveryLibrary's vast digital reach, with millions of weekly social media impressions, a national voter file in the hundreds of thousands, targeted email lists, and digital advertising dollars, we offer unprecedented support to local movements working to defend the first amendment."

"Welcome to the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom blog! Our blog will feature alerts, articles, commentary, links, news, and more, to expand our ability to fulfill our mission: to implement ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights. Our goal—for nearly 40 years!—is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries."

Vision: "We envision an American society that understands, values, defends, and vigorously exercises free expression in a just, egalitarian, diverse, and inclusive democracy."
Mission

"The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) is a non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association. FTRF protects and defends the First Amendment to the Constitution and supports the right of libraries to collect - and individuals to access - information."

"ELC is at the forefront of state-based efforts to improve school funding equity and secure essential resources for all students. Our strategies include litigation, policy development, capacity building, communications, data analysis and research.
Our work is based on the belief that all children deserve the opportunity to learn."

"PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible."

"Founded in 1996, The African American Policy Forum (AAPF) is an innovative think tank that connects academics, activists and policy-makers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequality. We utilize new ideas and innovative perspectives to transform public discourse and policy. We promote frameworks and strategies that address a vision of racial justice that embraces the intersections of race, gender, class, and the array of barriers that disempower those who are marginalized in society. AAPF is dedicated to advancing and expanding racial justice, gender equality, and the indivisibility of all human rights, both in the U.S. and internationally."

"EveryLibrary is monitoring state legislation during the 2023-2024 session that would limit Americans' freedom to read and think for themselves. Of most concern are proposed laws that would allow for civil and criminal prosecution of librarians, educators, higher ed. faculty, and museum professionals."

From the Op Ed: "The motto of the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Foundation is 'Free people read freely.' The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution supports and defends the right to speak and its corollary the right to access and read information. The Supreme Court has affirmed this right applies to students (Fortas 1969) and has rejected the removal of books from school libraries that would inhibit students’ rights of speech, press, and political freedom (Brennan 1982)."

"On October 6, 2022, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-03) introduced the Right to Read Act (S. 5064 and H.R. 9056). The Right to Read Act is designed to ensure all students, including low-income and minority students, children with disabilities, and English language learners, have access to an effective school library staffed by a certified school librarian. The act would increase student access to fully staffed and appropriately resourced school libraries and authorizes funding to meet these urgent needs. The legislation also supports recruitment, retention and professional development for state-certified school librarians."