Texas Aiming For a Statewide Banned Book List, and Other Library News
Here’s the last bit of library news to close out the year. As usual, censorship updates take center stage, but we’ve also got a few adaptation updates and a very appropriate word of the year to round things out.
Library News
Internet Archive has decided against filing an appeal with the Supreme Court in their ongoing legal battles with Hachette.
The New York Public Library has released a new case study on libraries and well-being.
Adaptations in the News
Liza Minelli’s memoir is being adapted as a series by Warner Brothers.
Everything you need to know about the Interior Chinatown series adaptation.
Everything you need to know about the adaptation of Nightbitch.
Censorship Updates
Librarian Amanda Jones has filed a new defamation lawsuit against blogger Dan Kleinman.
Early bills filed by Texas state legislators indicate that Texas Republicans are gunning for a statewide banned book list.
Polk County Public Schools (FL) have removed more than 30 books from school libraries in response to public challenges.
Knox County (TN) schools have until winter break to remove 48 titles from the libraries. Yes, this is for all schools in the county.
A New Richmond (OH) teacher is suing her school district after she was suspended for having books in her classroom that contained LGBTQ+ characters.
“Goshen Public Library Director Tabitha Guarnieri will be resigning after 18 eventful months on the job that were highlighted by controversy over the book Gender Queer being part of the library’s collection.” This is in Indiana.
A new Oklahoma measure looks to make school district superintendents an elected position.
A few members of the Campbell County Public Library (WY) board are pushing for staff to use less “liberal” publication review sources, primarily because they’re looking for more self-published books in the collection.
Right-wing politician Brian Lenney saw a flier for a Nampa (ID) LGBTQ+ group at the public library and immediately started flinging accusations of grooming and pedophilia at the library…except the flier was on a community bulletin board and the group wasn’t even planning to meet at the library. Not that the accusations would have been appropriate in any case, but it just goes to show how easy it is for people to get so worked up over nothing. Imagine if they put this much energy into solving actual problems.
The Huntington Beach (CA) city attorney has already said that the city will push back against the state’s anti-book ban bill because of their status as a charter city, except the bill already has language stating that charter cities are not exempt.
Miscellaneous Book News
Barbara Taylor Bradford died on November 25th at age 91.
Oprah announces Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan as her 109th book club pick.
The 2024 Goodreads Choice Award winners have been announced.
Oxford University Press has named “brain rot” their word of 2024. This feels…appropriate.
Everybody at the book bar getting tipsy. (Sorry, I had to.)
