“Now we’re getting two or three a week,” Emeran said. In the past, the organization assisted on a few book ban cases per year. Local libraries are calling in the National Coalition Against Censorship for help now more than ever. She attributed the shift to “a cultural backlash” against changing views on LGBTQ+ issues, women’s rights and the Black Lives Matter movement. She also chose “Out of Darkness” by Ashley Hope Perez, a historical fiction novel about an interracial teen romance.Įmeran, who is scheduled to be featured in a panel discussion called “Help! They’re coming for our books!” at the conference Sunday, began to notice an increase in book bans starting in 2021, at the beginning of President Joe Biden’s term. Gregory selected “ Gender Queer,” Maia Kobabe’s autobiographical comic on what it means to be to be nonbinary and asexual - the source of the firestorm against the school librarian and the most challenged book of 2022, according to the ALA. “Addressing book censorship and protecting library users’ intellectual freedom, protecting librarians’ ability to provide for information in their communities, is at the forefront of this year’s meeting,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and executive director of the Freedom to Read Foundation.Īll day Saturday, attendees are invited to climb atop a giant chair to read their favorite banned book. The association in March released data showing a record 1,269 demands to censor library books in the U.S. The ALA conference hosts thousands of librarians, library staff, authors, publishers and educators as several states push to restrict access to books in schools and libraries - overwhelmingly those about race, ethnicity and LGBTQ+ topics. Librarians may attend sessions, like the one Gregory spoke at, aimed at helping them confidently counter book challenges, fight legislative censorship and ensure the freedom to read. “The world’s largest library event” provides training and education for library professionals, according to the conference website. The attendees broke into applause at Gregory’s declaration.īook bans and how to fight them is a major focus of the this year’s ALA’s conference. The “shocking” allegations made her think: “My whole entire adult life, and all of my education and all my work - what if this is over? I’m not going to let that happen,” Gregory said Saturday to a room packed full of about 100 fellow librarians at a training session on fighting book bans at the American Library Association’s annual meeting in Chicago. I’m not going to let them call me that, especially when I’ve worked my whole entire life to get to where I am,” said Gregory, who was named the 2022 South Carolina school librarian of the year. CHICAGO (AP) - School librarian Jamie Gregory has been called a “pedophile” and “groomer,” bombarded with private messages threatening harm, accused of distributing pornography in schools, and had her personal address posted on social media.
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