Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I’ve been in desperate need of some heartwarming escapism, and Netflix has delivered with a new season of Glow Up! In the words of Val Garland, “Ding dong, darling!”
Don’t forget, during the month of September, all new free subscribers to The Deep Dive will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
The entities that support 13 presidential libraries have issued a statement calling for “a recommitment to the country’s bedrock principles, including the rule of law and respecting a diversity of beliefs.”
EBSCO has unveiled a new tool to help libraries build Spanish collections.
Book Adaptations in the News
Murder, She Wrote is getting a film adaptation.
Here is the trailer for Origin, based on Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.
Teaser trailer for the new Goosebumps series premiering on Disney+.
Censorship News
The US Senate held a recent committee hearing on book bans, and included Illinois’s new Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias, who spoke about the unprecedented levels of violence and harassment that library employees are facing. Giannoulias also appeared on Good Morning America to talk about book bans.
Harper’s Bazaar has a list of every book currently banned in the US.
Maia Kobabe created a webcomic titled “I Made the Most Banned Book in America.”
Championing inclusivity in library collection policies.
Florida, Texas, and Oklahoma have all integrated PragerU’s right-wing misinformation into classroom lessons.
Ron DeSantis just appointed one of the founders of Moms for Liberty to Florida’s state ethics commission.
A Florida Jewish community center canceled a slavery-focused talk with Jewish author Rachel Beanland, citing “the current political climate.”
Flamer, Blankets, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and Gender Queer have been removed from Fulton County Schools (GA).
A Darien (CT) school board member took it upon himself to craft policies for curriculum and book challenges, which would have removed challenged books for up to six months, and then tried to submit them for legal review. The board chair was NOT happy.
This sums it up: “A PAC vilifying Central Bucks [PA] Dems is warning voters about sexually explicit images by mailing out explicit images.” In the article: “The illustrations are meant for ‘our oldest students,’ said Smith, a Democrat on the board seeking reelection. But the PAC ‘has done more to expose younger students to age-inappropriate material with this mailing than hundreds of library books could ever have done.’” IT HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT PROTECTING CHILDREN.
“More than 46,000 books in the Elizabethtown Area School District’s [PA] four libraries are being reviewed and rated following an update to the district’s policy on library materials.” This is ri-goddamn-diculous.
A look at the state of book banning in New Jersey.
Hoboken, New Jersey, is declaring itself a book sanctuary city.
New Hanover County Schools (NC) have removed Stamped from the curriculum, although it will remain in the school library.
Davie County Public Library (NC) says that Flamer has gone missing after a patron complained to county officials about the book.
Berkeley County Schools (SC) denies the existence of a banned book list, although SOMEONE sent a list of 93 books that are listed for “objections center on graphic sexual content and profanity” as part of a FOIA request from the ACLU. So does this book list exist or not?
Alabama governor Kay Ivey lodged threats against the Foley Public Library in a letter to the Alabama Public Library Service director because the Foley Library refused to get rid of certain “inappropriate” books.
Meanwhile: “A week after Gov. Kay Ivey sent a letter to the state’s library agency raising concerns about whether certain books are appropriate for children, the executive director of the Alabama Public Library Service said decisions about content must be made at the local level…Pack said it’s important for libraries to strike a balance and allow children from all backgrounds to see their families and experiences represented in books too.”
“After expiring all youth library cards at the end of July, Washington Public Library [MO] Director Nelson Appell reported most parents have been ‘very understanding,’ but others are not happy.”
Parents in the Little Miami School District (OH) are in a tizzy because the Scholastic Book Fair had copies of Heartstoppers for purchase. But I thought everything was okay if books were still available to purchase, even if they were removed from schools and libraries! You mean to say these people want to remove ALL access to these books? Can we call it a book ban at that point?
“‘Books are not banned and remain available for purchase if excluded from the curriculum due to inappropriate content. Those who use the word ‘banning’ to describe exclusion from curriculum should be ashamed for perpetuating propagandistic lies.’” Sure, Jan. (IN)
More bomb threats in Chicago and the nearby suburbs, including Aurora, Schaumburg, Libertyville, Addison, and Evanston. One of my friends works at one of the targeted libraries.
An update on book-banning efforts in Wisconsin.
Carver County Library Board (MN) voted unanimously to retain Gender Queer.
Marshalltown School District (IA) presents 20 books to ban from school libraries, thanks to the new state legislation.
Two librarians were fired from the Sterling Free Public Library (KS) over images used for a display, specifically a rainbow infinity symbol that represents neurodiversity and autism awareness, but was mistaken for a Pride symbol. The librarians and two patrons are now suing the town of Sterling. “The lawsuit argues that Sterling library patrons ‘are entitled to a library that embraces a range of viewpoints, not just the viewpoints of those with an aversion to rainbow colors and a disdain for LGBTQ citizens.” Obviously, this is a ridiculous situation, but I’m cackling at the phrase “not just the viewpoints of those with an aversion to rainbow colors.” Call it like it is!
After firing the director of the Campbell County Public Library (WY) for refusing to remove books, the board is now trying to figure out how to handle book challenges.
A letter to the editor in Garfield County (CO) that uses the same tiresome “grooming” language, and also tries to draw a line connecting schools and libraries to child trafficking. Meanwhile, a small group of book crisis actors want to restrict the manga collections in the county libraries.
California is on the verge of passing new legislation that would prohibit school boards from censoring or banning books, curriculum, or instructional materials.
Oakland (CA) librarians say that they feel “more unsafe than ever,” according to an internal report.
Parents are pushing for new children’s department policies after the Coronado Library (CA) used The Rainbow Parade for a Pride-themed storytime.
The Clovis City Council (CA) unanimously voted to not take any action in response to a letter complaining about LGBTQ books in the library.
The California megachurch pushing public schools to the far right.
A new lawsuit aims to block a proposed ballot measure to dissolve the Columbia County Library in Dayton, Washington.
“While libraries tend to remove books if they are damaged or outdated, Peel [ON] district schools have reportedly removed all titles published before 2008.” I’m sorry…what??
Books & Authors in the News
I should have posted this last week, but beloved musician and author Jimmy Buffett died over Labor Day weekend at 76. Florida author Carl Hiassen also wrote about the life of his friend. I grew up listening to Jimmy Buffett’s greatest hits, and his CD always made it into the music rotation for our summer road trips.
Walter Isaacson has walked back a major claim from his new biography of Elon Musk.
Reese Witherspoon chooses Nina Simon’s Mother-Daughter Murder Night as her next book club pick.
Stephen King says he once played “Mambo No. 5” so much his wife threatened to divorce him. More headlines like this, please!
Revisiting Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way.
Numbers & Trends
A letter from Ernest Hemingway about a plane crash he survived just sold at auction for $237,055.
The best-selling books of the week.
Award News
Drew Barrymore has been dropped as the host for the National Book Awards after she announced her decision to bring her talk show back during the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
The US National Book Foundation will be honoring Rita Dove as the 2023 Distinguished Contribution medal winner.
The 2023 Ned Kelly Awards for Australian crime fiction have been announced.
Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous
Is BookTok sucking the joy out of reading?
Dictionary.com has added 566 new words this fall.
On the Riot
How to introduce Dungeons & Dragons in your library.
Authors who work as booksellers.
The best online book clubs, 2023 edition.
True crime: rare book theft edition.
The conflicting ideas that readers must be able to hold.
How to build a book collection.
A history of book curses.
Book Riot has podcasts to keep your ears listening for days! Check them out and subscribe.
Another guest kitty photo from my parents’ house! Penny is apparently very camera-shy, but my husband managed to get a great photo of this sassy girl! She loves being held, and loves pestering the other cats in the house. But how can you be mad at that face??
All right, friends. I’ll see you again on Tuesday!
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.
