Public Libraries

A librarian and intellectual freedom advocate on Dr. Seuss, library policies, and cancel culture.

Questions about the ethics of fines, a public library crowded with kids during the pandemic, and a librarian who doesn't want kindergarteners to borrow books.

In majority-white regions, librarians are bringing diverse books to kids, even when their efforts meet with resistance. 

Pat Scales fields questions about video read-alouds, the fate of outdated "classic" books, and parents' disapproval of  books about immigration. 

Ensuring that all students have access to reading material during remote learning; adjusting expectations for student research; fielding questions about Little Free Libraries.

Facilitating research, public librarians question if school assignments are age-appropriate. 

Legislators in Tennessee want to create a parental oversight board to decide what children can and cannot access at their local public library; Jeff Kinney to hit the road for Rowley; and grants and professional opportunities in this edition of News Bites.

Authors discussed their experience with soft censorship at “Not-Quite-Banned: Combating the Invisible Censorship of LGBTQIA+ Stories,” an ALA Midwinter panel. 

Censorship expert Pat Scales provides advice on a teacher's claims of a “political hoax,” a warning to avoid books with the N-word, and other challenging situations.