An annual archive of PW's library column, "The Week in Libraries," updated weekly.
The Week in Libraries: June 9, 2023: The Fifth Circuit hears a closely-watched book banning case; Louisiana passes a 'harmful to minors' law for library books; legal action over a flawed New York City library design; and California expands its partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
The Week in Libraries: June 2, 2023: A library-led coalition has filed a lawsuit challenging a new Arkansas law that exposes librarians and booksellers to criminal prosecution for making allegedly inappropriate books available, while a new 'harmful to minors' rule in Missouri is causing confusion and concern.
May 26: No Issue.
The Week in Libraries: May 19, 2023: A surprise guest inspires the annual PEN America gala; a profile of a grassroots parents group defending the freedom to read in Florida; a brewing controversy over book bans in Colorado; and Minneapolis school administrators seek to ensure every school has a qualified school librarian.
The Week in Libraries: May 12, 2023: a new report explores the post-pandemic funding landscape for libraries, a library board shuts down a library-hosted book group for discussing a 'political' book, and more.
The Week in Libraries: May 5, 2023: A recent poll shows voters in Michigan overwhelmingly support their local libraries and oppose book bans; Illinois passes a groundbreaking bill to support the freedom to read; ALA announces its Banned Books Week 2023 theme; OverDrive celebrates 20 years of library e-book lending; and California governor Gavin Newsom pens 'a love letter' to librarians.
The Week in Libraries: April 28, 2023: A challenging year for libraries recapped in the ALA's 2023 State of America's Libraries report; amid criticism, the College Board will change its AP African American studies course again; the Seattle Public Library will join Brooklyn Public Library in making banned e-books available nationwide; and Cindy Hohl is elected ALA president.
The Week in Libraries: April 21, 2023: National Library Week 2023 is upon us; PEN America report says politics is 'supercharging' book bans; the Texas House passes its school library bill; and Dolly Parton will be awarded the ALA's highest honor.
The Week in Libraries: April 14, 2023: Concerns that 'defund the library' may be the new front in the book banning wars; the Texas Senate passes its school library bill; librarians in Illinois weigh in on the state's proposal to defend the freedom to read; and ALA launches a new initiative to combat book bans.
The Week in Libraries: April 7, 2023: Big wins for the freedom to read in Idaho, and Texas; legendary author Judy Blume delivers a passionate defense of libraries; the new pain points for academic librarians in the wake of the pandemic; and why the key to defeating book bans is showing up.
The Week in Libraries: March 31, 2023: Bomb threats over Juno Dawson's 'This Book Is Gay' highlight the increasing threat level librarians and teachers are facing; Missouri lawmakers vote to defund the state's public libraries; and PEN America's Nadine Farid Johnson tells Congress that the country is facing the 'broadest attack on First Amendment rights' in generations.
The Week in Libraries: March 24, 2023: Congress passes a 'parental rights' bill; Illinois advances its bill to prohibit book banning; Missouri lawmakers seek to pull funding from public libraries in the state; and Julie Stivers has been named School Library Journal's 2023 School Librarian of the Year.
The Week in Libraries: March 17, 2023: Federal library funding hangs in the balance as the 2024 budget process ramps up; Arkansas passes a controversial bill aimed at restricting libraries; a Michigan prosecutor threatens to charge a local library director for refusing to pull Maia Kobabe's 'Gender Queer' from the collection; and the Copyright Office weighs in again on AI authored works.
The Week in Libraries: March 10, 2023: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis claims book banning is a media hoax; Illinois goes on the offense to protect the freedom to read; and a new poll suggests that the Right's 'war on woke' might not be an effective political strategy
The Week in Libraries: March 3, 2023: A look at libraries some three years after the Covid-19 pandemic began; how the right wing culture war playing out in many communities has led to some librarians living in fear; the St. Paul Public Library's 'Read Brave' program enters its 10th year; and Connecticut revises its proposed library e-book bill.
The Week in Libraries: February 24, 2023: Amid criticism, Puffin revises its plan to soften some of the language in Roald Dahl's classic works; North Dakota passes a new law that would ban sexually explicit materials in public libraries; and Library Futures releases a policy paper on digital ownership.
The Week in Libraries: February 17, 2023: PEN America reports that 'educational censorship' bills are continuing to spread nationwide; the Utah Library Association delivers a powerful statement on censorship; and registration is now open for the 2023 ALA Annual Conference, set for June 22-27 in Chicago.
The Week in Libraries: February 10, 2023: The Colorado Civil Rights Division rules that a librarian who objected to censorship efforts in her library was illegally terminated; more on the College Board's questionable interactions with Florida officials; ‘Library Journal’ releases its annual budget survey report; and Hawaii introduces a new library e-book bill.
The Week in Libraries: February 3, 2023: The ALA's first in-person LibLearnX is in the books; Book bans (and Florida) stay in the news; and the Urban Library Council releases a white paper addressing food insecurity in our communities.
The Week in Libraries: January 27, 2023: The American Library Association gets a massive grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to address key issues in libraries; Florida librarians and educators struggle with pernicious new 'parental rights' laws; and two more states introduce new library e-book bills.
The Week in Libraries: January 20, 2023: Eight states so far have new bills in 2023 seeking to expose librarians and educators to criminal prosecution for obscenity violations; why a bestselling author with a new kids' book was barred from speaking at a Texas school; and the first new state e-book bill of 2023 is introduced.
The Week in Libraries: January 13, 2023: A new study looks at the chilling effect of book bans on new book purchases; author George M. Johnson reflects on being targeted by book banners; new state bills are again targeting the freedom to read; and a look at the early numbers from the newly operational Copyright Claims Board.
The Week in Libraries: January 6, 2023: LJ names its librarians of the year; more on that "book rating" bill in Texas; and the growth of Library TikTok.
This article has been updated with further information.
