Category: General Interest
Texas Federal District Court Orders Censored Books Returned to Library Shelves in Llano County, Texas
Great news from Texas – the federal district court in Austin, Texas has issued a preliminary injunction ordering the Llano County, Texas government and library board to return the books […]
Office for Intellectual Freedom Issues Letter to the Board of Greenville County Library System
On March 27, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) sent a letter to the Greenville County Library System’s Board of Trustees opposing recent restrictions they imposed on […]
American Library Association Issues Letter in Support of the Glen Ridge Public Library
On February 6, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) sent a letter of support to the Glen Ridge Public Library’s Board of Trustees commending the efforts of […]
American Library Association Opposes North Dakota HB 1205
On January 9, North Dakota legislators Mike Lefor (R) and Vicky Steiner (R) introduced HB 1205, a bill threatening librarians with criminal prosecution for fulfilling their professional responsibility of curating […]
Book Review | Media Literacy for Justice: Lessons for Changing the World
Yohuru Williams’ foreword opens Media Literacy for Justice: Lessons for Changing the World by calling for a global village where youth may engage in informed dialogues addressing “equity, justice in health outcomes, environmental justice, and a host of other issues with roots in our shared humanity” (De Abreu, x). This global village is a digital one, shaped by our students’ lives as digital natives who must take on “the monumental task of discriminating fact from fiction while discerning credible sources” (ix) with educators, both librarians and teachers, who they may never meet face-to-face thanks to Zoom University. As it takes a village, global media literacy educator and the author of Media Literacy for Justice Belinha S. De Abreu sought out an ensemble of contributing authors whose writing bookends all ten chapters with a reflection and lesson concept. These reflections and lesson concepts are the core of this text, providing a needed resource for media literacy focused teachers and librarians in both K-12 and higher education classrooms as well as community centers throughout North America.
2021 Intellectual Freedom Gift Guide
Need some last-minute gift ideas for the intellectual freedom advocate in your life? Check out these top picks, all under $30.
Texas’s Book Censorship Hysteria: An interview with Ashley Hope Pérez
Ashley Hope Pérez responds to the recent censorship of her award-winning book Out of Darkness in Lake Travis ISD and Leander ISD, Texas.
Happy Birthday, Nikki Grimes!
Nikki Grimes, award winning poet and author of books for children and adults, was born on October 20, 1950.
A Censored Science Book for Banned Books Week
Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species is the most commonly banned science book and is important in laying the foundation for evolutionary biology. Darwin’s widely accepted theory of natural selection is the key to understanding genetics, pathogens, and epidemiology – critically important topics as misconceptions about science influence politics and public health policy.
Restricted Reading: New Original Audio Series on Prison Censorship
Restricted Reading is a new original series of short personal audio narratives that examines access to information in prison and the right to intellectual freedom for the more than 2.2 million people incarcerated in America today.