Banned Book Displays, School Library Closures, and More Library News

Banned Book Displays, School Library Closures, and More Library News

Filming has wrapped on the adaptation of The Thursday Murder Club.

Shogun is returning for a second season, which comes on the heels of its dominating performance at the Emmys.

Casting update for the BBC’s adaptation of Lord of the Flies.

Here’s a trailer for the latest adaptation of ‘Salem’s Lot.

30+ TV show book adaptations arriving this year.

Censorship News

PEN America reports over 10,000 instances of book bans during the full 2023/2024 school year — THREE TIMES as many book bans recorded in the 2022/2023 school year.

Here’s what’s coming up for Banned Books Week next week.

PEN America reports on the potential impacts of Project 2025 on schools and libraries.

How to build good Banned Books Week displays.

Amanda Jones will not be silenced.

Five people standing up to book bans.

Publisher’s Weekly talks with Book Riot’s own Kelly Jensen!

Discussing book bans with Dave Eggers.

“‘This is what these folks are focusing on, spending their time on, like reading about two male penguins who love each other is somehow going to turn your children gay,’ [Tim] Walz said, which led to extended laughs from the crowd. ‘Here’s what I tell you, it’s a fact of life, some people are gay. But you know what’s not a fact of life? That our children need to be shot dead in schools. That’s not a fact of life.’” I love to see it!

When threats of violence come to university libraries.

The state of academic libraries.

Prison Banned Books Week: Free prison tablets aren’t actually free.

“In a new legal brief filed this week, the ACLU says the upcoming hearing will be the first time a federal appeals court will decide what First Amendment standards govern the removal of books from public libraries.” This is in regard to the lawsuit against Llano County (TX). And advocates are considering their next moves beyond this lawsuit, while James Patterson and Stephen King have signed a letter showing support for the plaintiffs.

What happens when a school closes its library? (This is in regards to Houston ISD.)

And what happens when you cut librarian positions in half? In the case of Cy-Fair ISD (TX), the school libraries are frequently closed.

The people who pushed to have All Boys Aren’t Blue removed from the Highland Park High School (TX) library are now challenging other books on the shelves. Quelle surprise.

Nassau County School District (FL) agreed to restore 36 previously banned books to library shelves as part of a settlement in a federal lawsuit against the district.

Lehighton Area High School (PA) may end up requiring permission slips for some of the books in the school library.

Prince William County School Board (VA) voted to keep A Court of Thorns and Roses.

The Rockingham County School Board (VA) voted to ban seven books on a supplemental reading list.

The Yancey County Board of Commissioners (NC) voted to separate from the regional library system while the regional library director was at the ALA conference in San Diego this year, and all of the conflict stemmed from a Pride Month display in 2023.

“A Beaufort County [SC] parent who threw chicken feed at school board members and harassed two teachers, is just one of five people who were listed in a defamation suit by a Hilton Head Island Middle School teacher last week.” The teacher is suing because the group of parents said she was grooming students.

See this quote from a former trustee at the Shelby County Library (AL), where the current library board has been installed by the local government, as opposed to being voted on by residents: “‘What kind of stupid do you think I am?…Why would I want to be on a board where the strings are being pulled by the Shelby County legislative delegation?’”

“Prostitution, adultery, eunuchs: Library dispute in Mobile [AL] as one official ponders Bible ban.”

The Limestone County Commission (AL) has announced that it will suspend all funds to the Athens-Limestone Public Library until they get at least two new library board representatives.

The St. Joseph School District (MO) voted to retain Crank and This Book is Antiracist.

Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp (IN) voted to keep Push in the school library.

A federal judge has ordered the Oklahoma State Department of Education to provide a reason for revoking Summer Boismier’s teaching license.

“A former employee is suing the High Plains Library District in Weld County [CO], alleging she was fired in retaliation for speaking out against the library’s cancellation of a Pride event that she had helped plan in Greeley last year.”

Book bans cost Utah taxpayers thousands of dollars, and the Davis School District alone spent $27,000 over the course of two school years dealing with book challenges.

Young Utahns must have the freedom to read.

The Grants Pass School Board (OR) is receiving pushback from the teachers union over its proposed policy on instructional and library materials, which they say could lead to increased censorship and book banning.

Moms for Liberty are creating problems in Yolo County (CA), where libraries are trying to figure out funding opportunities.

Books & Authors in the News

The University of Washington has dismissed a plagiarism complaint against Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility.

Oprah selects Familiaris by David Wroblewski for her latest book club pick.

Numbers & Trends

Here are the most-read books on Goodreads from last week.

The best-selling books of the week.

A new report shows a significant increase in spoken word listening among readers ages 13-34.

But students are reading fewer books in English class.

Award News

The Giller Prize has dropped Scotiabank from its name but has not dropped the bank as a sponsor.

Here are all of the finalists for the 2024 National Book Awards.

The shortlist for the 2024 Booker Prize has been announced.

Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous

Fall picks paired with cocktail recipes. (I’ll be making myself a couple of smoky peach margaritas!)

On the Riot

8 of the most infamous literary hoaxes.

And Here’s a Cat Photo!

a black and white cat and a brown tabby cat laying next to each other with their front paws crossed

Look at these two brothers holding paws! Proof that they actually do kinda sorta like each other!

Whew, we reached the end of the week, folks! Let’s enjoy the weekend!

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