The ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom released a new report on library censorship attempts in 2023, recording a 65% increase from 2022 in the number of titles targeted. A total of 4,240 unique book titles were targeted at schools and public libraries, up from 2,571 the previous year. These titles were distributed among 1,247 demands. The report notes that public libraries saw the biggest increase, with the number of censorship attempts rising 92%. At schools, demands were up 11%. The ALA writes, “Groups and individuals demanding the censorship of multiple titles, often dozens or hundreds at a time, drove this […]
Book Bans
Pen America and PRH’s Suit Against FL Schools Will Continue
Pen America and Penguin Random House’s lawsuit against the Escambia County, FL school board will move forward, U.S. District Judge Kent Wetherell ruled on Wednesday. The plaintiffs, which include a group of authors and parents, argue that the school system’s removal of more than 1,600 titles–including dictionaries and encyclopedias–is a violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments. “Today, we urged the court to vindicate the Constitutional rights of students, parents, authors and publishers,” Pen America, Florida director Katie Blankenship said in a statement. “We are heartened that Judge Wetherell agreed and that our case can proceed. These books need to […]
Judge Blocks Iowa Book Ban Law
A federal judge filed a preliminary injunction against Iowa’s “incredibly broad” book banning law, which was set to take effect on January 1. The law would restrict from school and classroom libraries any book that describes or depicts sex, and any book about sexuality or gender identity (the latter half of the law was blocked on December 22). Penguin Random House and four authors filed suit to block the provision in November. In the filing, Judge Stephen Locher noted that the law “has resulted in the removal of hundreds of books from school libraries, including, among others, nonfiction history books, […]
PRH Wins Partial Victory in Iowa Book Ban Suit; WaPo Analyzes Book Bans
In a preliminary victory for Penguin Random House in their suit claiming that Iowa’s book bans are unconstitutional, the state conceded that books about sexual orientation and gender identity will be allowed in school and classroom libraries. According to a press release, “students will be able to access them freely, read, and do reports on them.” This concession covers half of the publisher’s case against Iowa, which they brought with authors, educators, a student and parent, and the Iowa State Education Association. The other half concerns books that describe or visually depict sex, regardless of context, which are restricted through […]
Scholastic to Include Diverse Books in Spring Book Fairs
Scholastic announced an update to its Book Fairs policy, after separating out books with BIPOC and queer characters and creators from elementary school fairs in a purported effort to protect teachers and librarians who are dealing with legislation that bans such titles. Scholastic apologized and reversed course in October, announcing that they would discontinue the share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice a la carte collection but without additional details about the future of the program. “From our experience in the fall, we have learned that separating out titles or highlighting titles that might make teachers and librarians vulnerable to serious […]
PRH Sues Iowa Over Statewide Book Ban Law
Penguin Random House and a group of four authors—Malinda Lo, Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, and Jodi Picoult—have filed a lawsuit against the state of Iowa over a recently-enacted law that prohibits any books describing or depicting sex from appearing in public school or classroom libraries. The law, SF 496, also restricts books that include themes of sexual orientation or gender identity from students through sixth grade. (Other plaintiffs include the Iowa State Education Association, one Iowa librarian, two teachers, and one high school student.) The suit claims the book ban provisions of the law violate the First and Fourteenth […]