What do censorship, homeschooling, intellectual freedom, and libraries have in common? We get into it today with Eddie Kristan about the fight libraries are seeing with parental-rights extremist groups trying to censor books and the impact that has on children’s rights to access information.

Show Notes:

Institutions on the job:

• Freedom to Read Foundation (IF arm of the ALA): https://www.ftrf.org/
• Emily Knox – Freedom to Read Foundation – knox@illinois.edu
• PEN American has been on the job: https://pen.org/report/book-bans-pressure-to-censor/
• DPLA – the banned book club: https://www.dplabannedbookclub.com/
• Queer Liberation Library https://www.queerliberationlibrary.org/
• Brooklyn Public Library’s Books Unbanned: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/books-unbanned
• Chicago Public Library Book Sanctuaries: https://www.chipublib.org/news/book-sanctuaries-committed-to-protecting-banned-and-challenge-books/
• CPL Book Sanctuary Project: https://www.booksanctuary.org/

Past ALA cases:

• United States, et al. v. American Library Association, Inc. et al., 539 U.S. 194, 123 S.Ct. 2297, 156 L.Ed.2d 221 (2003)
• Tattered Cover, Inc. v. City of Thornton, 44 P.3d 1044 (Colo. Sup. Ct., 2002)
• Sund v. City of Wichita Falls, Texas, 121 F. Supp. 2d 530 (N.D. Texas, 2000) the “300 signatories” case.
• Case v. Unified School District No. 233, 908 F. Supp. 864 (D. Kan. 1995) The “Annie on my mind” case.

Active cases to follow:

• Pen America v. Escanaba School District 23-cv-10385 Filed May 17, 2023
• Fayetteville Public Library v Crawford County et al. -23-CV-05086
• Book People Inc et al. v. Wong 23-cv-00858 – Filed July 25, 2023
• Leila Green Little, et al. v. Llano County, Llano County Texas Library
• Most concerning bills:
• Idaho HB 666
• Indiana SB 17
• Iowa HB 2176
• Oklahoma SB 1142
• South Dakota House Bill 1337:
• Tennessee House Bill 1944
• Tennessee House Bill 800

Follow:

• emilyknox.net
• @fobettarh
• EddieKristan
• Eddie the Giant Librarian