Public Libraries

A bill in Ohio would criminalize teachers and librarians for having "obscene" books in their collections; New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu pulls state librarian nomination after pressure from conservative groups; districts in Kansas and Tennessee remove and restrict titles; and more in censorship news.

IMLS-funded, READCON provides free, self-guided training to help library practitioners build strong community relationships, ­manage ­difficult situations, and engage stakeholders. Public, school, and academic library workers are also welcome to READCON's ­Legal Landscape of Librarianship Forum, February 18–20.

The new law in New Jersey aims to limit book removals and protect librarians from criminal prosecution; in Illinois, some school districts are choosing to lose state grants instead of complying with its Freedom to Read law; additional titles removed in Oregon and Tennessee; and more in censorship news.

Utah has added Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott to its list of books banned at all public schools; the Texas state board of education wants legislation giving it  control of school library collections; and Crank by Ellen Hopkins remains on South Carolina high school shelves, but students will need parental permission.

Parents and patrons want the LGBTQIA+ romance by Alice Oseman removed; a Tennessee district orders the immediate removal of 150 books; and a school board is set to review collections in a Virginia district in search of "sexually explicit" material that goes against policy.

Widespread outrage and condemnation forced Montgomery County (TX) library system to return Colonization and the Wampanoag Story to the nonfiction shelves; a Tennessee county school district has removed more than 400 books; a Kentucky county district removes books after conservative mailer; and more.

Saturday is Freedom to Read Day of Action; New Jersey State Library receives IMLS grant for information literacy initiative; Scholastic reveals next "The Hunger Games" cover; and more in News Bites.

After a challenge, Colonization and the Wampanoag Story by Linda Coombs was moved to fiction at the Montgomery County (TX) libraries; Kokila won't back down from its mission to empower children and publish diverse titles; and more news.

Penguin Random House has a lobbyist; NYU studies impact of book bans; South Carolina district removes Assassination Classroom; and more.