it’s official: in Arkansas, library staff may now be charged with a Class D felony for providing books to their communities that are deemed “obscene”.
in Florida, school librarians and teachers can be criminally charged for checking out books to kids that dare to touch on LGBTQ topics & gender identity, thanks to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
book censorship in the US is at such an all-time high, book sanctuaries are popping up all over the country.
library staff aren’t physically safe, either. over the past couple months, “threats directed to public and school libraries and library workers have forced temporary closure of five public library systems due to bomb and shooting threats,“ ALA. active shooter trainings have become the new norm for me.
the censorship myself and my colleagues have been watching unfold over the past couple of years has felt like watching a slow-motion car crash.
but this bill? this feels like a death knell for my profession.
when I was a confused queer kid growing up in an ultra-religious household, the library was my refuge. when I asked hard questions, librarians listened and gave me the tools I needed to answer them. in many ways, libraries saved my life. it’s why I became a librarian.
I can’t believe I’m living in times where future generations of kids may not have access to the same refuge I did, but it’s happening.
if you live in the US and you care about protecting open, equitable access to information, please check out the American Library Association for anti-censorship resources in your state, info on contacting your representatives, etc.
you can also report censorship you see in your community and ALA will investigate (1-800-545-2433, ext. 4266; oif@ala.org).
I know this isn’t my usual content, but libraries are standing on the edge of a horrifying precipice- one we can’t escape on our own.
libraries are free society’s canary in the coal mine, and all the alarms are singing. when libraries fall, nations usually aren’t far behind.
