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 - [email protected]

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, 2023Fayetteville 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 666Indiana SB 17Iowa HB 2176Oklahoma SB 1142South Dakota House Bill 1337:Tennessee House Bill 1944Tennessee House Bill 800

Follow:

emilyknox.net@fobettarhEddieKristanEddie the Giant Librarian