To state the obvious: this is a pivotal moment for our democracy. In November, voters will head to the polls and decide what direction we want to take the country in. There could hardly be a starker contrast to the options. On one hand you’ve got... Well, look, there is a good choice and a not good choice if you value things like freedom, choice, integrity, respect, honesty, justice, equality, or the basic notion that the truth matters. Part of this moment’s context is a yearslong battle over what people can and cannot read in our public schools and libraries. There’s a small but well-organized movement to strip shelves of works that don’t adhere to a very narrow and retrograde view of what America ought to be. To be clear, this isn’t about the quaint notion of a concerned parent doing something they think is in their child’s best interest. This is a program intended to fundamentally change what kids and teenagers are able to read, and to punish­­ those who would stand in the way. The bad news is they’ve had some success. The good news is, more recently, they have not. In the following pages, we dig into the scope and scale of this historic wave of censorship attempts and talk with those who are doing the vital work of fighting back. Have you ever met a librarian who has been so horrifically harassed that she’s afraid to leave her house? You’re about to.

The Freedom to Read Issue

A Letter from the Editor: The Freedom to Read Issue
With Banned Books Week just a week a way, librarians across the country remain under attack just for doing their jobs. 'PW' editorial director Jonathan Segura introduces our new issue, highlighting their vital work.

Freedom to Read Advocates Look to Expand Efforts Beyond the Courtroom
As a key lawsuit in Llano County is set to be heard by the full Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, freedom-to-read advocates consider their next moves.

The Battle Against Book Bans Rages On: PW Talks with Kelly Jensen
PW checks in with the 'Book Riot' writer, whose weekly Censorship News column tracks efforts to ban books in school and libraries.

Modern Day McCarthyists: The Fight Against Book Bans in Llano County
The Texas county, with a population about 3,000, has become an epicenter in the fight against book banning. Leila Green Little explains the echoes of history are playing out in rural Texas—and in communities across the across the nation.

Amanda Jones Will Not Be Silenced
The librarian, anti-censorship advocate, and debut author weighs in on the threat posed by book banners today.

The Resistance: Five People Standing Up to Book Banners
For many, defending the freedom to read has come at a steep cost. We recently talked with five librarians and educators who are standing up to the would-be censors.

How Booksellers Are Taking On Book Banners
Alongside educators and librarians, indie booksellers across the country are rising up to defend the freedom to read.

Children’s Authors on the Real-World Cost of Book Banning
Authors discuss how having their work targeted by censors has directly affected their livelihood and their well-being.

Defending ‘Gender Queer’ from Book Bans
An inside look at how the team behind the most challenged book in America fought censorship and won.

Book Banning by the Numbers