Censorship

Children's literature scholar and author Debbie Reese is keeping track of the many books by Indigenous authors that have been challenged and removed from shelves.

Museums centered on the Black experience are seeing more visitors and expect numbers to climb as books about race continue to be banned and teaching about history and race is restricted. In other censorship news, Alabama state superintendent mandates a library review policy in all school districts, open records requests reveal books removed in Iowa schools, and more.

Banned Books USA is offering free books to Florida residents; We Need Diverse Books issues a condemnation of Scholastic Book Fairs; it's time to register for LibLearnX; and more in this edition of News Bites.

Graduate schools and other programs design safety, self-defense, and de-escalation instruction for librarians.

Librarians and authors are angry and seeking alternatives after Scholastic Book Fair change that requires opt-in for an add-on case of diverse books for elementary fairs. PEN America calls on Scholastic to find a new solution instead of accommodating "nefarious laws."

Two principals in a Maine district remove and restrict six books after challenges; a Florida district proactively pulls 31 titles based on complaints in other counties; teens speak out for the right to read in North Carolina and California; and more in the latest Censorship News.

'Wimpy Kid' tour will highlight “extraordinary” local libraries, librarians at bookstore events around the country. Kinney donates $100,000 to distribute to libraries chosen by local users, along with diverse books to enhance collections, courtesy of multiple publishers.

South Carolina Department of Education drafted a new regulation that would give it authority over school and classroom libraries. 

With the release of two educator surveys, the organization provides facts and figures on the detrimental impact of book bans on reading and literacy.