THIS Emily is a huge deal to me and so close to my heart. As an author, a mother and a book advocate (I interview authors on my podcast). Our school board trustee that was just elected was fully endorsed and backed by Moms For Liberty. I did all I could to educate those I know, spoke out online, did a podcast episode on it, yet she won. A big reason she won was because she lied about her occupation. She said she was a teacher when in fact, she homeschooled her children and is not credentialed. The DA says it's freedom of speech for a politician to say their occupation is whatever. I'm not ok with this and will be working on a recall with others. I am vocal already but I'm about to get even louder and this is a BIG issue I plan on fighting. Thank you for bringing more attention to it! I don't know how I'm going to do it but as Shannon Watts said last night...just go with it.
I read this while working at a small used / new independent bookstore in the very red state of South Carolina. After reading your newsletter I applied to the Horry County Library Board. And plan to attend the next hearing on statewide book bans. Thank you for giving us tangible ways we can help make a difference
As a librarian I am very worried about this. I’m in a blue area of a blue (but increasingly red) state and we’ve had our share of complaints. Please talk to your friends and family about this. So many people have no idea that book bans are happening.
Lyz Lenz wrote one of the best pieces I've ever read about why banning books does the opposite of "protect children" - if you want to get (even more) fired up about this issue, highly recommend: https://lyz.substack.com/p/i-understand-why-people-ban-books
The fact that the vast majority of Americans so easily buy into the “protecting children” idea is incredibly frustrating. It should be glaringly obvious that attempts to censor the stories of marginalized people are attempts to disempower them. Has history not told us this so many times before?
Also, I got a chill at this line. “When books that critique authoritarianism and systemic oppression are being censored, we should all be paying attention.”
Your tips are perfect and thorough, and yet so much more needs to be done. As a school librarian I constantly feel a call to action, but none of the avenues I’ve tried feel like they have anywhere near the power of M4L.
If they were "protecting children" they'd be more concerned about the devices that students have in their hands and what they can access with the free open internet. Pretty sure the searches I heard about from our elementary school network manager were far worse than the content of any book I had in the library.
I don't understand why they're not more worried about kids' access to the Internet! Maybe they really just don't know?? Because if they're worried about kids hearing about ideologies different from theirs... no matter what it's out there.
This is so important!! I’ve been on my local library board since 2017. This election cycle we had three M4L candidates running for our local school board’s three open seats, and another running for state board of education. A handful of parents (literally 6 people) launched a PAC to put accurate information in the hands of voters and we kept them ALL off our education boards. Start small and local and build from there!!
Hi Emily! Thanks for this. I just read James by Percival Everett (the story of Huck Finn from the POV of the enslaved man, Jim) and it was such an important story and the idea of it being banned fires me up. I like the idea of getting involved with supporting my local library.
I also wanted to share a funny anecdote as this happened in another book club I'm in, but the link you shared for Everyone is Lying to You on Amazon is actually to the large-print edition -- last time I saw that happen it ended up hitting the large-print best sellers because so many people inadvertently bought it over the regular version. Made me giggle so wanted to share with the group! ha.
Emily this is excellent! Especially the actions for what we can do. I left my school library job in 2023 right as the laws were coming into effect in FL. I have no regrets because my ability to do my job was being hindered and I hated going to work (I didn't get too far out as I ended up in a college library as support staff). One of my part time colleagues is still working in a school library and when I hear what is happening even among the district library staff, I'm glad I left when I did. The thing in my county wasn't the parents that were challenging the books it was community members. When they changed the law the challenges almost went non-existent. But it's almost too late as so many books were removed and are no longer available to students.
In Florida, book-challenge review committees must include both a parent and a community member, so even if you don't have kids in school, you could still be able to join a committee! I joined (my kids' school district) and they provided very thorough instructions and training. It was all by email and Zoom/Teams.
YES! I am a Library Trustee in a slightly left leaning (but occasionally purple community) and we received an anonymous letter this very week accusing us of "not having the integrity" to ban "LGBT" books. We need more people willing to engage in local/municipal elections as informed candidates!
I used my Read Banned Books tote constantly last year- my boys have been carrying it to the library lately! I’m off to look up my library board.
I read Gender queer and my oldest read half of it sitting next to me when I was done. Because he had a preK teacher who was nonbinary, he understood it well- I preread a lot of books that I think would provoke questions- he also loves I Survived and those tend to be about a lot of historical, deadly events.
This made me want to buy more Toni Morrison books too. I don’t own The Bluest Eye but did read it from the library’s
THIS Emily is a huge deal to me and so close to my heart. As an author, a mother and a book advocate (I interview authors on my podcast). Our school board trustee that was just elected was fully endorsed and backed by Moms For Liberty. I did all I could to educate those I know, spoke out online, did a podcast episode on it, yet she won. A big reason she won was because she lied about her occupation. She said she was a teacher when in fact, she homeschooled her children and is not credentialed. The DA says it's freedom of speech for a politician to say their occupation is whatever. I'm not ok with this and will be working on a recall with others. I am vocal already but I'm about to get even louder and this is a BIG issue I plan on fighting. Thank you for bringing more attention to it! I don't know how I'm going to do it but as Shannon Watts said last night...just go with it.
I read this while working at a small used / new independent bookstore in the very red state of South Carolina. After reading your newsletter I applied to the Horry County Library Board. And plan to attend the next hearing on statewide book bans. Thank you for giving us tangible ways we can help make a difference
Wonderful to hear!!!
As a librarian I am very worried about this. I’m in a blue area of a blue (but increasingly red) state and we’ve had our share of complaints. Please talk to your friends and family about this. So many people have no idea that book bans are happening.
Lyz Lenz wrote one of the best pieces I've ever read about why banning books does the opposite of "protect children" - if you want to get (even more) fired up about this issue, highly recommend: https://lyz.substack.com/p/i-understand-why-people-ban-books
The fact that the vast majority of Americans so easily buy into the “protecting children” idea is incredibly frustrating. It should be glaringly obvious that attempts to censor the stories of marginalized people are attempts to disempower them. Has history not told us this so many times before?
Also, I got a chill at this line. “When books that critique authoritarianism and systemic oppression are being censored, we should all be paying attention.”
Your tips are perfect and thorough, and yet so much more needs to be done. As a school librarian I constantly feel a call to action, but none of the avenues I’ve tried feel like they have anywhere near the power of M4L.
If they were "protecting children" they'd be more concerned about the devices that students have in their hands and what they can access with the free open internet. Pretty sure the searches I heard about from our elementary school network manager were far worse than the content of any book I had in the library.
I don't understand why they're not more worried about kids' access to the Internet! Maybe they really just don't know?? Because if they're worried about kids hearing about ideologies different from theirs... no matter what it's out there.
This is so important!! I’ve been on my local library board since 2017. This election cycle we had three M4L candidates running for our local school board’s three open seats, and another running for state board of education. A handful of parents (literally 6 people) launched a PAC to put accurate information in the hands of voters and we kept them ALL off our education boards. Start small and local and build from there!!
Hi Emily! Thanks for this. I just read James by Percival Everett (the story of Huck Finn from the POV of the enslaved man, Jim) and it was such an important story and the idea of it being banned fires me up. I like the idea of getting involved with supporting my local library.
I also wanted to share a funny anecdote as this happened in another book club I'm in, but the link you shared for Everyone is Lying to You on Amazon is actually to the large-print edition -- last time I saw that happen it ended up hitting the large-print best sellers because so many people inadvertently bought it over the regular version. Made me giggle so wanted to share with the group! ha.
Oh whoops! I will fix! TY
Emily this is excellent! Especially the actions for what we can do. I left my school library job in 2023 right as the laws were coming into effect in FL. I have no regrets because my ability to do my job was being hindered and I hated going to work (I didn't get too far out as I ended up in a college library as support staff). One of my part time colleagues is still working in a school library and when I hear what is happening even among the district library staff, I'm glad I left when I did. The thing in my county wasn't the parents that were challenging the books it was community members. When they changed the law the challenges almost went non-existent. But it's almost too late as so many books were removed and are no longer available to students.
In Florida, book-challenge review committees must include both a parent and a community member, so even if you don't have kids in school, you could still be able to join a committee! I joined (my kids' school district) and they provided very thorough instructions and training. It was all by email and Zoom/Teams.
Really appreciate this, thank you!
Thanks so much for writing about this - it's so important. Also, ordered Jo's book - can't wait!
YES! I am a Library Trustee in a slightly left leaning (but occasionally purple community) and we received an anonymous letter this very week accusing us of "not having the integrity" to ban "LGBT" books. We need more people willing to engage in local/municipal elections as informed candidates!
I used my Read Banned Books tote constantly last year- my boys have been carrying it to the library lately! I’m off to look up my library board.
I read Gender queer and my oldest read half of it sitting next to me when I was done. Because he had a preK teacher who was nonbinary, he understood it well- I preread a lot of books that I think would provoke questions- he also loves I Survived and those tend to be about a lot of historical, deadly events.
This made me want to buy more Toni Morrison books too. I don’t own The Bluest Eye but did read it from the library’s