Disrupting Book Censorship

How history, bias, and cultural literacy impact modern censorship.

Introduction - Disrupting Book Censorship

Module 1 - Book Censorship and US Libraries: An Abridged History

Module 2 - Book Bans and Bias

Module 3 - Cultural Responsiveness in the Fight Against Bans

Further Resources

Mixtapes

Feedback

Listen – Book Banning Basics

Course Overview

This course is broken into three modules.

Module 1: Book Censorship and US Libraries: An Abridged History
Module 2: Book Bans and Bias
Module 3: Cultural Responsiveness in the Fight Against Bans
Mixtapes!
Recommended Resources and Further Reading

Listen to Stacy’s welcome above to get started.

Course Objectives

After working through this section’s resources, you will be able to…

Define key terms regarding censorship and book banning;
Explain the socio-cultural roles of reading, literacy, and access to information and how they relate to the history of book banning and challenging/censoring library collections;
Connect historical book challenge and ban trends to today’s coordinated censorship attacks and strategies to disrupt them;
Disrupt some of the implicit assumptions and prejudice at play in book censorship aimed at children’s and YA books and specifically marginalized narratives;
Create bespoke strategies to balance taking action against book censorship and mitigating risk and burnout as an information professional.

The Mixtapes

Maybe you don’t have time for the whole course. Maybe you want to focus on discussions and resources that directly address your current needs. Maybe you just love a mixtape! The following “mixtapes” are curated lists of resources from all three of the course’s modules. Each of the “tracks” has a specific audience or takeaway in mind, and you’re encouraged to make your own mixtape from the resources that best fits your needs.

“Fight the Power” (Public Enemy): Historical context, thought leadership, and strategies for those on/supporting the front lines of anti-censorship in libraries and beyond
“I Want to Know” (Ray Charles): Deeper dives into the intersections of book censorship and libraries. Wish you had a course on this in your MLIS? This one’s for you!
“Why Should I Worry?” (Billy Joel): Considerations for academic library workers, proponents of academic freedom, and information professionals in other settings thinking about what current censorship trends mean for their work and what actions they can take

Transcript: English
Transcripción: Española
Transcription: Français

Anchor Activity: Reflection

Jot down your answers to the reflection questions below to consider as you move through this module’s resources.

When did you first learn that censorship exists? How old were you?
Who or what was the source of the information? Did you consider that source authoritative at the time? Why or why not?
What kind of censorship did you first learn about? Did censorship directly impact you or was it more of an abstract concept?
Did your first understanding of censorship include libraries in some way?

Discussion 1 – Unpacking Bans

This module is about bookbanning in the US, an abridged history thereof. This is the first discussion of three where we’re talking about unpacking ban, and making sure that we’re all on the same page.

Quote to Consider: Pat Scales in her 2007 book Scales on Censorship wrote “Censorship is about control. Intellectual freedom is about respect.”

Transcript: English
Transcripción: Española
Transcription: Français

Discussion 2 – Historical Connection Between US Book Bans and US Libraries

We are looking at the historical connection between US book bans and US libraries. My discussion here will be shorter and briefer than the first one, so never fear. But I do want to make sure to hit a few valuable insights from some of the resources listed above so that you can think of this as a grounding umbrella context before you start diving into the more specific content and resources.

Quote to Consider: In a recent interview, Dr. Emily Knox says, “I absolutely believe this: The people who try to ban books truly believe that books are powerful, that reading is a powerful practice, that reading can change who you are.”

Transcript: English
Transcripción: Española
Transcription: Français

Discussion 3 – Where We Are Now or The Presumption of Progress

Hello, and welcome to our third discussion in module one. We’re talking about where we are now or what I like to call the presumption of progress. If you’re still with me after listening to those first two discussions, thank you. An applause. I hope you’ve taken a break. Maybe you got some water, right? This one’s going to be actually quite short. I really want to hammer home this idea of the presumption of progress because it is not good. It does not work in our favor, and it can trip up some folks who want to use it as a reason to not be as well-equipped both in policy, in process, in sort of personal conviction, ethics, etc.

Quote to Consider: “Myth: bigotry-fueled censorship declines with time; Reality: bigotry-fueled censorship adapts to prevailing norms and power structures.”

Transcript: English
Transcripción: Española
Transcription: Français

Resources to Explore: News, Reports and Discussions

Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (ALA)
Banned & Challenged Books (ALA – OIF)
Be Your Own Library Advocate: Book Censorship News (Book Riot)
Book Bans Research & Reports (PEN America)
Book Banning Will Not Stop at Schools: Book Censorship News (Book Riot)
A Brief History of Book Bans (Smithsonian)
A Brief History of the Grand Old American Tradition of Banning Books (LitHub)
Cases Against Book Bans (Publishers Weekly)
Emily Knox: ‘People Who Try to Ban Books Truly Believe That Books Are Powerful’ (Fabulist)
The History (and Present) of Banning Books in America: On the Ongoing Fight Against the Censorship of Ideas (LitHub)
The history of book bans—and their changing targets—in the U.S. (NatGeo)
History of Book Banning (Publishers Weekly)
How book-banning campaigns have changed lives, education of librarians (University of South Carolina)
How K-12 Book Bans Affect Higher Education (Inside Higher Ed)
In the Field: School Librarians Share Their Battles with Book Banning (Publishers Weekly)
Librarian and Anti-Censorship Activist Amanda Jones Tells Her Story (Book Riot)
A librarian was fired after refusing to ban books. She fought back (NPR)
The Library Trust Matrix: Book Censorship News (Book Riot)
Minnesota and other Democratic-led states lead pushback on censorship. They’re banning the book ban (AP News)
The Perilous State of Academic Freedom and Free Expression in Education (PEN America)
Queer in a Time of Book Banning: A Library Worker’s Story (Book Riot)
Urban Library Trauma Study (Urban Librarians Unite)
What Can Academic Librarians Do About Material Challenges? (Charleston Hub)
What Rights Do Students Have To Access Books? (Book Riot)

Resources to Explore: Audio & Video Recordings

Angry and Alarmed, Embracing the Concerned Parent (OIF)
Banned Books Week: Navigating Threats to Academic Freedom: Experiences and Needs (Sage)
Banned through Comics Metadata!? (GNCRT/IFRT)
Book Banning and the First Amendment (Freedom Forum)
Borrowed & Banned (Brooklyn Public Library)
The Burning of Democracy – A Banned Books Discussion (National Hispanic Media Coalition)
Censorship: The Comics Code Authority & Rating Systems (GNCRT/IFRT)
Comics: “Are These Real Books?” (GNCRT/IFRT)
The Fiery History of Banned Books (Storied)
Intellectual Freedom and Rise of Banned Books (Western Michigan University Libraries)
From Howl to Now: Book Bans in the U.S. (PEN America & City Lights)
Restricted Access: The American History of Book Banning (PEN America)
The Threat to Academic & Intellectual Freedom (Florida International University Libraries)
When Books Are Threatened, Where Do We Turn? (Penguin Random House)
“What’s So Critical About Intellectual Freedom?” with Dr. Emily Knox & Dr. Shannon Oltmann (Augusta Baker Critical Conversations in LIS series)

Resources to Explore: Publications

Donelson, K. L. (1981). Shoddy and pernicious books and youthful purity: Literary and moral censorship, then and now. The Library Quarterly, 51(1), 4-19.
Rossuck, J. (1997). Banned books: A study of censorship. The English Journal, 86(2), 67-70.
Barbakoff, A. (2010). Libraries build autonomy: A philosophical perspective on the social role of libraries and librarians. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal), 463.
Knox, E. (2014). “The Books Will Still Be in the Library”: Narrow Definitions of Censorship in the Discourse of Challengers. Library Trends, 62(4), 740-749.
Knox, E. J. M. (2015). Book banning in 21st-century america. Rowman & Littlefield. [Chapters 2 & 6]
Knox, E. J. (2019). Silencing Stories: Challenges to Diverse Books. The International Journal of Information, Diversity, & Inclusion, 3(2), 24-39.
Cauley, K. (2020). Banned books behind bars: Prototyping a data repository to combat arbitrary censorship practices in US Prisons. Humanities, 9(4), 131.
Podrygula, S. (2020). Censorship in an academic library. College & Research Libraries News, 55(2), 76-83.
Steele, J. E. (2020). A history of censorship in the United States. Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy, 5(1), 6-19.
Schroeder, R. L. (2021). How to Ban a Book and Get Away With It: Educational Suitability and School Board Motivations in Public School Library Book Removals. Iowa L. Rev., 107, 363.
Steele, J. E. (2021). Books Behind Bars: Cases of Censorship in Two South Mississippi Prisons. In Exploring the Roles and Practices of Libraries in Prisons: International Perspectives (pp. 119-131). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Rehn, J. (2022). Battlegrounds for Banned Books: The First Amendment and Public School Libraries. Notre Dame L. Rev., 98, 1405.
Faller, Lex (2023) Contemporary Library Censorship Tactics: Reviewing the Literature. PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal, 16(1).
Gonzalez, X. (2023). The Librarians Are Not Okay. The Atlantic, March.
Jaeger, P. T., Jennings-Roche, A., Taylor, N. G., Gorham, U., Hodge, O., & Kettnich, K. (2023). The urge to censor: raw power, social control, and the criminalization of librarianship. The Political Librarian, 6(1).
Jenkins, J. M. (2023). Free Their Minds: Legacies of Attica and the Threat of Books to the Carceral State. Colum. L. Rev., 123, 2321.
Moreno, T. H. (2023). Interrupting the Criminalization of Information in the Academic Library Classroom. Canadian Journal of Academic Librarianship, 9, 1-23.
Tudor, A., Moore, J., & Byrne, S. (2023). Silence in the Stacks: An Exploration of Self-censorship in High School Libraries. School Libraries Worldwide, 28(1).

Resources to Explore: Databases & Maps

Anchor Activity: Reflection

Consider the questions below and jot down your thoughts as you explore this module’s resources.

How is book censorship related to bias –how do the two fuel each other?
How does a library’s bias favor those already empowered within a community?
How does removing access to marginalized voices and narratives affect young readers’ bias and empathy?

Discussion – Ban the Book, Protect the Child

Most of the resources linked here take a deeper look at bias than is typical in the LIS world. We’re not just talking about unconscious bias, although that is part of it. In this discussion, we’re looking at book bans and their relationship to protecting children and the ways that bias comes into play there.

Quote to Consider: During a moderated discussion at MIT Libraries, Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom says, “It’s not about burning the books; it’s about labeling the ideas. There’s a short and direct line between labeling ideas as profane and dehumanizing people.”

Transcript: English
Transcripción: Española
Transcription: Français

Resources to Explore: News, Reports, and Discussions

BANNED: The Bluest Eye (PBS)
Book Bans and the Librarians Who Won’t Be Hushed (Harvard Graduate School of Education)
Book Bans Aren’t the Only Threat to Literature in American Classrooms (Time)
BookLooks, Framed As “Objective” Book Rating Resource, a Moms For Liberty Joint (Book Riot)
The Heavy Cost of Banning Books About Black Children (Time)
History of Comics Censorship, Part 1 (CBDLF)
Issue Brief: Educational Censorship in America (AASLH)
It’s 2022 and Two Books Are on Trial for ‘Obscenity’ (ACLU)
Missing From the Shelf: Book Challenges and Lack of Diversity in Children’s Literature (PEN America)
Monitoring State Legislation That Criminalizes Libraries, Schools, and Museums 2023 (EveryLibrary)
Short Course: Why Diversity in Books & Curriculum Matters (Get Ready Stay Ready)
Unlocking Minds: The Battle Over Banned Books and the Power of Free Thought (Information Matters)
Who Is YA For? (Publishers Weekly)
Why Are Books Banned? (EveryLibrary)

Resources: Video Recordings

“The ABCs of Book Banning” Screening Panel (NYPL)
Black People in Comics (GNCRT/IFRT)
The Censorship of LGBTQ+ Comic Books with Maia Kobabe and Mike Curato (Banned Books Week)
An Evening with Tressie McMillan Cottom (MIT Libraries)
War of Words over Obscenity by Dr. Pat Lawrence (Get Ready Stay Ready)

Resources: Publications

MacLeod, A.S. (1983). Censorship and children’s literature. The Library Quarterly, 53(1): 26–38.
Rosenblatt, L.M. (1995). Literature as Exploration. New York: Modern Language Association of America.
Blackburn, M. V., Clark, C. T., & Nemeth, E. A. (2015). Examining queer elements and ideologies in LGBT-themed literature: What queer literature can offer young adult readers. Journal of Literacy Research, 47(1), 11-48.
Boyd, A. S., & Darragh, J. J. (2019). Complicating Censorship. English Education, 51(3), 229-260.
Knox, E. J. (2019). Silencing Stories: Challenges to Diverse Books. The International Journal of Information, Diversity, & Inclusion, 3(2), 24-39.
Armstrong, A. L. (2021). The Representation of Social Groups in US Educational Materials and Why It Matters: A Research Overview. New America.
Garcia, M. J. (2022). Book bans are targeting the history of oppression. The Atlantic, 2.
Knox, E.J. (2022). Censorship and children’s literature. In A Companion to Children’s Literature (pp. 414-425). Wiley Blackwell.
Mitchell, C. (2022). Investigating How Reading Enhances Empathy: A Longitudinal, Diary Study of Everyday Reading Habits (Doctoral dissertation, The Claremont Graduate University).
Mumma, K. S. (2022). Politics and Children’s Books: Evidence from School Library Collections.
Shearer, M. (2022). Banning Books or Banning BIPOC?. Nw. UL Rev. Online, 117, 24.
Steele, J. (2022). Challenges to Children’s Picture Books with LGBTQ Themes: A 30-Year Review. Children and Libraries, 20(2), 3-9.
Ananthakrishnan, U. M., Basavaraj, N., Karmegam, S. R., Sen, A., & Smith, M. D. (2023). Book Bans in American Libraries: Impact of Politics on Inclusive Content Consumption. SSRN.
Anderson, A. (2023). A Pleasure to Burn: How First Amendment Jurisprudence on Book Banning Bolsters White Supremacy. Mitchell Hamline L. Rev., 49, 1.
Caradonna, C. Y. (2023). Tugging at the veil: Critical race methods for analyzing Educational Gag Orders. Cultural Studies↔ Critical Methodologies, 23(4), 403-412.
Corbett, E., & Phillips, L. (2023). Ploughing the Field: Controversy and Censorship in US and UK YA Literature. International Journal of Young Adult Literature, 4(1), 1-18.
Jennings-Roche, A. (2023). Delegitimizing Censorship: Contending with the Rhetoric of an Anti-Democratic Movement. The Political Librarian, 6(1).
Lowery, R. M. (2023). But These Are Our Stories! Critical Conversations about Bans on Diverse Literature. Research in the Teaching of English, 58(1), 34-47.
Pickering, G. (2023). “Harmful to Minors”: How Book Bans Hurt Adolescent Development. The Serials Librarian, 84(1-4), 32-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/0361526X.2023.2245843
Price, R. S. (2023). Contesting obscenity: Book challengers and criminalizing literature. Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy, 7(4), 34-45.
Sachdeva, D. E., Kimmel, S. C., & Chérres, J. S. (2023). “It’s Bigger Than Just a Book Challenge”: A Collective Case Study of Educators’ Experiences With Censorship. Teachers College Record, 125(6), 30-59.
Tucker, T. (2023). Dangerous reading: How socially constructed narratives of childhood shape perspectives on book banning. Public Library Quarterly, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2023.2232289
Watson, L. M. (2023). The Anti-“Critical Race Theory” Campaign-Classroom Censorship and Racial Backlash by Another Name. Harv. CR-CLL Rev., 58, 487.
Bridgeforth, J., & O’Neal, D. (2024). (Re) setting the racial narrative: Antiblackness and educational censorship. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 32.
Goncalves, M. S., Langrock, I., LaViolette, J., & Spoon, K. (2024). Book bans in political context: Evidence from US schools. PNAS nexus, 3(6). 1-9.

Anchor Activity: Reflection & Curation

Build a bespoke toolkit! Consider your immediate and long-term needs in this ongoing disruption and advocacy work. Stock your toolkit appropriately.

Discussion – Objectives and Resource Overview

if you made it through listening to me this far, thank you. Thank you for sticking with me. Congratulations, and again, I hope you’ve taken breaks and gotten some water, some stretch breaks, et cetera. This discussion is really just to lay out this module’s purpose basically, mostly to manage expectations. I don’t want folks to worry if there’s resources that you were expecting to be here but that don’t show up. If you are in this section to learn or in this module to sort of learn about diversity work in library science, and what cultural literacy and responsiveness is, what it can look like, that’s not really what we’re focusing on here year.

Transcript: English
Transcripción: Española
Transcription: Français

Responsive Collections Resources

Collection Diversity Toolkit (Canadian School Libraries)
ITHAKA Diversifying Your Collection Guide
England, E. (2023). Perpetuating Whiteness:: Disrupting the Dominant Narrative in Academic Library Collections. Journal of Radical Librarianship, 9, 98-115.
Metadata Best Practices for Trans and Gender Diverse Resources
Anti-racist Library Collection Building (University of Colorado)
Brown University Library Racial Justice Project
Checkouts & Challenges: A Brief But Important Conversation (Get Ready Stay Ready)
Checkouts & Challenges: Shareable Resources (Get Ready Stay Ready)
Mirrors, Windows, Sliding Glass Doors, and Prisms* (Get Ready Stay Ready)
Kirkus Collections
#DisruptTexts
Queer Liberation Library
Ourshelves
HUES Book Box
Rainbow Crate
Omnicrate
Trans Book Box
Green, L. S., Spiering, J., Kitzie, V. L., & Erlanger, J. (2022). LGBTQIA+ inclusive children’s librarianship: Policies, programs, and practices. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
Voels, S. (2022). Auditing diversity in library collections. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
Cooke, N. A. (2016). Information services to diverse populations: Developing culturally competent library professionals. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

Learning Resources

Not sure what Cultural Responsiveness is or how it works in libraries? Check out some of the resources below:

Kennedy, E. (2023). Embracing Culturally Responsive Practice in School Libraries. ALA Editions.
Burns, E. A. (2023). Culturally Responsive Librarians: Shifting Perspectives Toward Racial Empathy. Open Information Science, 7(1).
Trembach, S. (2022). Come and get yours: Culturally responsive library services and current LIS education response. In Proceedings of the ALISE Annual Conference, 2022.
Project READY
Project READY Resource Hub

Resources for Marginalized Library Workers and Others: Tips

Trauma, Book Bans, and Libraries: A Resource Guide for Library Workers, Library Supporters, and Beyond (Book Riot)
Anti-Doxing Guide 3.0 (advance release) (Equality Labs)
Library Freedom Institute (Library Freedom Project)
Online Harassment Field Manual (PEN America)
A Tip Sheet for Librarians Facing Harassment (PEN America)
A Guide to Twitter and Social Media Safety for Academics (and Everyone Else) (Dr. Paula R. Curtis)

Resources for Marginalized Library Workers and Others: Solidarity Groups

Resources for Marginalized Library Workers and Others: Self-Care

Further Resources

Recommended Texts & Resources

Boyer, P. S. (2002). Purity in print: Book censorship in America from the gilded age to the computer age. Univ of Wisconsin Press.
Wiegand, S. A., & Wiegand, W. A. (2007). Books on trial: Red scare in the heartland. University of Oklahoma Press.
Knox, E. J. M. (2012). The discourse of censorship: understanding the worldviews of challengers (Doctoral dissertation, Rutgers University-Graduate School-New Brunswick).
Knox, E. J. (2015). Book banning in 21st-century America. Rowman & Littlefield.
Gaffney, L. M. (2017). Young adult literature, libraries, and conservative activism. Rowman & Littlefield.
Bobbitt, R. (2019). Controversial Books in K–12 Classrooms and Libraries: Challenged, Censored, and Banned. Rowman & Littlefield.
Price, R. S. (2021). Navigating a doctrinal grey area: Free speech, the right to read, and schools. First Amendment Studies, 55(2), 79-101.
Hofman, D., & Villagran, M. A. (2023). Queer privacy protection: Challenges and the fight within libraries. International Journal for the Semiotics of Law-Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique, 36(5), 2157-2178.
Nevins, S., Adlesic, T., & Habtezghi, N. (Directors). (2023). The ABCs of Book Banning [Film]. MTV Documentary Films.
Oltmann, S.M. (ed). (2023). The Fight against book bans: Perspectives from the field. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Sachdeva, D. E., Hull, S. L., Kimmel, S. C., & Whitaker, W. A. (Eds.). (2023). Supporting Students Intellectual Freedom in Schools: The Right to Read. IGI Global.
Bryan, K. & Pentón Herrera, L. (2024). The Weaponizing of Language in the Classroom and Beyond. De Gruyter Mouton.
Jones, Amanda. (2024). That librarian: The fight against book banning in America. Bloomsbury.
Medina Camiscoli, S., Duggins-Clay, P., Salmanova, M., & Chamakh, I. (2024). Youth Dignity Takings: Understanding and Restoring the Involuntary Property Loss of Book Bans and Trans Bans. Loyola
Interdisciplinary Journal of Public Interest Law.
Special Issue on Book Challenges (2024). Research on Diversity in Youth Literature.

What is a Mixtape?

For anyone who didn’t record their own tapes or burn their own CDs, mixtapes are the analog predecessors of digital playlists. And much like a music mixtape is a curated selection of songs, the mixtapes you’ll find here are selections of resources from each of this course’s modules, curated to address different situations. Feel free to cherry-pick resources that meet your specific needs and build your own mixtape.

The three mixtapes are:

Fight the Power for historical context, thought leadership, and strategies for those on/supporting the front lines of anti-censorship in libraries and beyond.
I Want to Know for deeper dives into the intersections of book censorship and libraries. Find yourself wishing there is (or had been) a class on all this in your MLIS program? This one’s for you!
Why Should I Worry for academic library workers, proponents of academic freedom, and information professionals in other settings thinking about what current censorship trends mean for their work and what actions they can take.

Fight the Power (Public Enemy)

A mixtape for historical context, thought leadership, and strategies for those on/supporting the front lines of anti-censorship in libraries and beyond.

Lawsuits Are The Way Forward: A Look at Every Current Book Ban Lawsuit (Book Riot)
The Library Trust Matrix: Book Censorship News (Book Riot)
What Rights Do Students Have To Access Books? (Book Riot)
Urban Library Trauma Study (Urban Librarians Unite)
In the Field: School Librarians Share Their Battles with Book Banning (Publishers Weekly)
Faller, Lex (2023) Contemporary Library Censorship Tactics: Reviewing the Literature. PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal, 16(1).
Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (ALA)
Be Your Own Library Advocate: Book Censorship News (Book Riot)
Knox, E. J. M. (2015). Book banning in 21st-century america. Rowman & Littlefield. [Chapters 2 & 6]
Steele, J. E. (2020). A history of censorship in the United States. Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy, 5(1), 6-19.
Cauley, K. (2020). Banned books behind bars: Prototyping a data repository to combat arbitrary censorship practices in US Prisons. Humanities, 9(4), 131.
Jaeger, P. T., Jennings-Roche, A., Taylor, N. G., Gorham, U., Hodge, O., & Kettnich, K. (2023). The urge to censor: raw power, social control, and the criminalization of librarianship. The Political Librarian, 6(1).
Monitoring State Legislation That Criminalizes Libraries, Schools, and Museums 2023 (EveryLibrary)
Jennings-Roche, A. (2023). Delegitimizing Censorship: Contending with the Rhetoric of an Anti-Democratic Movement. The Political Librarian, 6(1).
Pickering, G. (2023). “Harmful to Minors”: How Book Bans Hurt Adolescent Development. The Serials Librarian, 84(1-4), 32-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/0361526X.2023.2245843
Price, R. S. (2023). Contesting obscenity: Book challengers and criminalizing literature. Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy, 7(4), 34-45.
Tucker, T. (2023). Dangerous reading: How socially constructed narratives of childhood shape perspectives on book banning. Public Library Quarterly, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2023.2232289
Watson, L. M. (2023). The Anti-“Critical Race Theory” Campaign-Classroom Censorship and Racial Backlash by Another Name. Harv. CR-CLL Rev., 58, 487.
Angry and Alarmed, Embracing the Concerned Parent (OIF)
Book Censorship Database by Dr. Tasslyn Magnusson
Censorship Group Database (Note: not exhaustive)
War of Words over Obscenity by Dr. Pat Lawrence (Get Ready Stay Ready)
Trauma, Book Bans, and Libraries: A Resource Guide for Library Workers, Library Supporters, and Beyond (Book Riot)
A Tip Sheet for Librarians Facing Harassment (PEN America)
Brown University Library Racial Justice Project
Checkouts & Challenges: A Brief But Important Conversation (Get Ready Stay Ready)
Checkouts & Challenges: Shareable Resources (Get Ready Stay Ready)
Voels, S. (2022). Auditing diversity in library collections. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
Sachdeva, D. E., Hull, S. L., Kimmel, S. C., & Whitaker, W. A. (Eds.). (2023). Supporting Students Intellectual Freedom in Schools: The Right to Read. IGI Global.
Oltmann, S.M. (ed). (2023). The Fight against book bans: Perspectives from the field. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Goncalves, M. S., Langrock, I., LaViolette, J., & Spoon, K. (2024). Book bans in political context: Evidence from US schools. PNAS nexus, 3(6).

I Want to Know (Ray Charles)

I Want to Know (Ray Charles)

A mixtape for deeper dives into the intersections of book censorship and libraries. Find yourself wishing there is (or had been) a class on all this in your MLIS program? This one’s for you!

Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (ALA)
Banned & Challenged Books (ALA – OIF)
Banned through Comics Metadata!? (GNCRT/IFRT)
Book Bans Research & Reports (PEN America)
Borrowed & Banned (Brooklyn Public Library)
A Brief History of Book Bans (Smithsonian)
The history of book bans—and their changing targets—in the U.S. (NatGeo)
Censorship: The Comics Code Authority & Rating Systems (GNCRT/IFRT)
How book-banning campaigns have changed lives, education of librarians (University of South Carolina)
In the Field: School Librarians Share Their Battles with Book Banning (Publishers Weekly)
Librarian and Anti-Censorship Activist Amanda Jones Tells Her Story (Book Riot)
Queer in a Time of Book Banning: A Library Worker’s Story (Book Riot)
What Rights Do Students Have To Access Books? (Book Riot)
Rossuck, J. (1997). Banned books: A study of censorship. The English Journal, 86(2), 67-70.
Knox, E. (2014). “The Books Will Still Be in the Library”: Narrow Definitions of Censorship in the Discourse of Challengers. Library Trends, 62(4), 740-749.
Steele, J. E. (2020). A history of censorship in the United States. Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy, 5(1), 6-19.
Schroeder, R. L. (2021). How to Ban a Book and Get Away With It: Educational Suitability and School Board Motivations in Public School Library Book Removals. Iowa L. Rev., 107, 363.
Steele, J. E. (2021). Books Behind Bars: Cases of Censorship in Two South Mississippi Prisons. In Exploring the Roles and Practices of Libraries in Prisons: International Perspectives (pp. 119-131). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Rehn, J. (2022). Battlegrounds for Banned Books: The First Amendment and Public School Libraries. Notre Dame L. Rev., 98, 1405.
Jaeger, P. T., Jennings-Roche, A., Taylor, N. G., Gorham, U., Hodge, O., & Kettnich, K. (2023). The urge to censor: raw power, social control, and the criminalization of librarianship. The Political Librarian, 6(1).
Tudor, A., Moore, J., & Byrne, S. (2023). Silence in the Stacks: An Exploration of Self-censorship in High School Libraries. School Libraries Worldwide, 28(1).
The Fiery History of Banned Books (Storied)
Intellectual Freedom and Rise of Banned Books (Western Michigan University Libraries)
“What’s So Critical About Intellectual Freedom?” with Dr. Emily Knox & Dr. Shannon Oltmann (Augusta Baker Critical Conversations in LIS series)
The Burning of Democracy – A Banned Books Discussion (National Hispanic Media Coalition)
History of Comics Censorship, Part 1 (CBDLF)
Short Course: Why Diversity in Books & Curriculum Matters (Get Ready Stay Ready)
Blackburn, M. V., Clark, C. T., & Nemeth, E. A. (2015). Examining queer elements and ideologies in LGBT-themed literature: What queer literature can offer young adult readers. Journal of Literacy Research, 47(1), 11-48.
Boyd, A. S., & Darragh, J. J. (2019). Complicating Censorship. English Education, 51(3), 229-260.
Knox, E. J. (2019). Silencing Stories: Challenges to Diverse Books. The International Journal of Information, Diversity, & Inclusion, 3(2), 24-39.
Steele, J. (2022). Challenges to Children’s Picture Books with LGBTQ Themes: A 30-Year Review. Children and Libraries, 20(2), 3-9.
Corbett, E., & Phillips, L. (2023). Ploughing the Field: Controversy and Censorship in US and UK YA Literature. International Journal of Young Adult Literature, 4(1), 1-18.
Jennings-Roche, A. (2023). Delegitimizing Censorship: Contending with the Rhetoric of an Anti-Democratic Movement. The Political Librarian, 6(1).
Lowery, R. M. (2023). But These Are Our Stories! Critical Conversations about Bans on Diverse Literature. Research in the Teaching of English, 58(1), 34-47.
Price, R. S. (2023). Contesting obscenity: Book challengers and criminalizing literature. Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy, 7(4), 34-45.
Tucker, T. (2023). Dangerous reading: How socially constructed narratives of childhood shape perspectives on book banning. Public Library Quarterly, 1-15.
War of Words over Obscenity by Dr. Pat Lawrence (Get Ready Stay Ready)
An Evening with Tressie McMillan Cottom (MIT Libraries)
“The ABCs of Book Banning” Screening Panel (NYPL)
Green, L. S., Spiering, J., Kitzie, V. L., & Erlanger, J. (2022). LGBTQIA+ inclusive children’s librarianship: Policies, programs, and practices. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
Cooke, N. A. (2016). Information services to diverse populations: Developing culturally competent library professionals. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
Nevins, S., Adlesic, T., & Habtezghi, N. (Directors). (2023). The ABCs of Book Banning [Film]. MTV Documentary Films.
Oltmann, S.M. (ed). (2023). The Fight against book bans: Perspectives from the field. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Why Should I Worry (BIlly Joel)

Why Should I Worry (Billy Joel)

A mixtape for academic library workers, proponents of academic freedom, and information professionals in other settings thinking about what current censorship trends mean for their work and what actions they can take. The academic library is no Themyscira, and academic freedom is no magical barrier. Get ready and stay ready!