Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I’m sorry to say that most of this newsletter is banned book news, because of course books are the problem in schools. Compiling these news items weighs heavier than ever, because it feels like I’m putting together a week-by-week snapshot of the collective effort to erode our rights and terrorize non-white cishet people into submission and non-existance, while nearly two dozen children were murdered at their school a week and a half ago. I’m so tired and so angry.
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
The Anchorage Library’s deputy director was being investigated for workplace complaints when Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration fired the investigator.
After the shooting, the Uvalde library became a refuge.
The Hamilton Public Library in New York reported that they found “White Lives Matter” stickers inside multiple library books and are treating the defacement as a racist hate crime.
The Ramstein Air Base in Germany canceled a Drag Queen Story Time program at its on-base library, partially due to criticism from Marco Rubio.
A Tulsa library book has been returned after 46 years.
Worth Reading
What undermines workplace wellness. (Good suggestions that put the onus on leadership to make positive changes on their teams, but lack of pay and benefits somehow didn’t make the list.)
Book Adaptations in the News
Lupita Nyong’o exits the Lady in the Lake adaptation at Apple.
Rachel Zegler will play Lucy Gray Baird in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Lisa Taddeo shares a first look at the adaptation of Three Women.
Banned & Challenged Books
At the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties hearing, witnesses warn that classroom censorship laws hurt students and teachers and erode constitutional freedoms.
Some schools and public libraries are now censoring digital library apps within hours of complaints.
The long history of book burning.
Why the MLIS is a powerful weapon in fighting book bans.
Middle grade mystery novel The Case of the Missing Lightning Bat by Victor D. Evans was flagged by its distribution house, Ingram Content Group, for having “inappropriate content,” which subsequently made it extremely difficult for readers to find the book, and for retailers to order the book. The author thinks this flag was due to a scene where the main character, who is male, kisses another male character.
Hood County (TX) Constable Chad Jordan reports that his office is conducting an “active and pending criminal investigation” following complaints from members of a school board book review committee that the books in question were not removed from a high school library.
Frisco (TX) Superintendent Mike Waldrip pushes back against Rep. Jared Patterson’s claims that the schools are not doing enough to keep “inappropriate materials” out of schools.
Pride and Black History Month displays are among those no longer allowed at Lafayette (LA) Public Libraries.
Michigan schools and libraries are seeing a wave of ridiculous book challenges and complaints, including too many books by Jewish authors, too many books about Black people, and too many LGBTQ+ books in the children’s section.
Hillsdale (MI) residents hold a protest over a potential proposal to ban books from the Hillsdale Community Library.
Arlington Heights (IL) library trustees reaffirm the decision to fly the Pride flag during the month of June.
Kutztown (PA) School Board approves a controversial parent consent form for high school students who want to check out Gender Queer from the school library. The board says that the form can also be applied to other resources that parents want to restrict their children’s access to, which is a FANTASTIC road to travel down. /s
Central Bucks School District (PA) tweaks its controversial book policy, but the ACLU says it’s still “legally problematic.”
Parents in Topsham, Maine are upset about the books that were selected for young students as a part of a school-approved curriculum on sexual violence.
More complaints against Gorham (ME) superintendent Heather Perry have been filed, although she says that the initial complaint from a parent was effectively “withdrawn” because the parent refused to meet with her. The parent in question says that he was discriminated against for his religious values.
New Jersey lawmakers worried about “anti-racist indoctrination” are pushing for public schools to post a comprehensive list on their websites of all resources available in school libraries for parents to see if their children have access to potentially “inappropriate” materials.
Four people in Crested Butte, Colorado have filed complaints against Gender Queer being in the local library, although a judge recently ruled that all four people could remain anonymous.
The Oakley Public Library Board of Trustees (KS) voted unanimously to keep Fred Gets Dressed over objections from a parent who wanted it removed.
Parents weigh in on the Wentzville (MO) School District’s decision to ban Fun Home.
An LGBTQ+ group in Enid, Oklahoma is planning a Pride-themed exhibit at the library after the board members reversed their recent controversial policy change regarding displays and programs at the library.
If anyone is following the chaos at the ImagineIF libraries in Montana, here are some updates from a recent board meeting.
I’m paywalled from this article, but the Alamance County Public Library system in North Carolina is facing LGBTQ censoring issues, particularly in terms of their book displays.
A bill that would ban North Carolina teachers from discussing LGBTQ issues with kindergarteners through third graders has passed out of committee.
Greenville County (SC) School Board votes to restrict access to Melissa (formerly George). The board is also planning to petition Congress for a book rating system that rates titles by “age appropriateness.”
Virginia Beach City Public Schools are in the process of revamping their library policies in light of “controversial” materials. Specifically, the district is in the process of creating a form linked to the school website, which will allow parents to choose which books their children have access to.
Continuing news out of Virginia Beach: a judge ruled that there is cause to declare Gender Queer and A Court of Mist and Fury obscene for unrestricted viewing by minors. Virginia State Delegate Tim Anderson says that “this doesn’t mean the books are banned,” but this will undoubtedly fuel further attempts to restrict access to reading materials not just in schools and libraries, but in bookstores and other businesses as well. (Worth noting that Tim Anderson was also the person who filed a FOIA request recently to get the names of the library employees who ordered “sexually explicit” books for schools.)
The American Booksellers for Free Expressions have strongly condemned the judge’s ruling re: Gender Queer and A Court of Mist and Fury in Barnes & Noble.
The Barnes & Noble lawsuit is the next phase in anti-LGBTQ censorship.
The Florida Department of Education investigates to see which staff member bought Gender Queer for Orange County Schools. They also asked textbook publishers to avoid references to critical race theory and social justice.
The St. Johns County (FL) School Board voted 3-2 to keep 7 contested books on library shelves, but anticipate that parents will file multiple appeals against the decision. Multiple audience members also had to be escorted out of the room.
A Florida library’s LGBTQ Pride display started a yearlong battle.
After claiming that his high school administration was attempting to censor his graduation speech, Florida senior Zander Moricz used “curly hair” as code for “gay” in his speech instead.
An Ontario school board has removed And Then There Were None from the curriculum due to anti-Semetic references.
Belarus has banned sales of 1984.
Book bans in prisons cut inmates’ lifeline to the outside world.
Nicole Melleby: “My queer life is not inappropriate, and neither are the books that reflect it.”
Jonathan Evison talks about Lawn Boy being one of the most frequently banned books in the country.
Books & Authors in the News
Akwaeke Emezi announces that they are taking a break from writing.
Award News
Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree has won the 2022 International Booker Prize.
On the Riot
10 ways to build a community of readers in your library.
How and what to read during mental health challenges.
A queer reader talks about choosing to read about straight people.
A history of Dracula in pop culture.
The worst covers of classic books. (Ngl, I’m absolutely dying at that cover of Moby Dick!)
An exploration of “Best of” anthologies.
Is Storygraph a good alternative to Goodreads?
The history of the Cherokee Phoenix, the first Native language newspaper.
How do you decide which books to buy?
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
Time for a cat photo break. This is how Gilbert likes to snuggle with my husband: curled up with all four of his paws touching Blaine’s stomach, and Blaine having to hold him like a baby so that he doesn’t roll backwards onto the floor. This goober turned 16 in May, but you wouldn’t know it from the way he demands full-contact snuggles on an hourly basis.
The worst thing that can happen is if we collectively throw up our hands under this relentless attack. To quote Kate McKinnon, “I’m not giving up, and neither should you.” Rest this weekend, and send an elected representative an email. I’ll see you on Tuesday.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.
