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Zahra sees the world in vivid color. When she’s happy, she feels a razzle-dazzle pink in her hands. When she’s sad, she feels a deep blue behind her eyes. But she isn’t quite sure how to feel about the color of her skin. Kids at school tell her she is different, but her mother tells her to be proud! From a diverse team and based on extensive research, The Proudest Color is a timely, sensitive introduction to race, racism, and racial pride.

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. You ever have one of those days where your brain just refuses to do things like remember schedule changes, do basic math, or print the correct documents? Yeah, that’s been my day today. I’ll try to get through this newsletter in one piece.

Libraries & Librarians

News Updates

The Niles-Maine Public Library (IL) board has agreed to a compromise budget that doesn’t cut staff hours or building improvements, but does make significant cuts to collections, librarian outreach efforts, and more.

Two library workers have filed a lawsuit against the city of New Orleans, saying that a recently-issued social media policy for city employees is censoring their right to free speech on their own private social media accounts.

The Whitefish Bay Public Library (WI) removed a sign addressing systemic racism after community members complained.

Cool Library Updates

A new Little Free Library program will bring thousands of diverse books to Detroit neighborhoods.

Worth Reading

The rescue of the New York Public Library.

Book Adaptations in the News

Shailene Woodley will star in the upcoming adaptation of Lisa Taddeo’s Three Women.

Apple has tapped Siân Heder to write and direct an adaptation of Judy Heumann’s bestselling memoir, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist.

Netflix will adapt The Night Agent by Matthew Quirk as a series.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman is getting a series adaptation from Amazon.

Arthur is ending its 25-year run in 2022.

The Stephen King short story “Strawberry Spring” is being adapted as a podcast.

Casting update for The Shining Girls.

Here’s the latest trailer for Dune.

Books & Authors in the News

Controversy continues at the Columbia County school district, where a local parent is pushing back on the school’s decision to include Raina Telgemeier’s Drama on library shelves.

Parents of Northampton Area School District students expressed concern over book donations from the Conscious Kids Foundation, claiming that the foundation uses “Marxist critical race theory.” Don’t mind me, my head is just exploded in fury.

Five authors have been arrested in Hong Kong for sedition for publishing children’s book that tries to explain the pro-democracy movement and portrays supporters as sheep surrounded by wolves.