Highlights

• “Free people read feely.” Read and view librarian Tracie D. Hall’s full TIME100 speech | Library Journal
• Intellectual Freedom Round Table announces Michigan Library Association as the recipient of the 2023 Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award | ALA
• Freedom to Read Foundation announces 2023 Election Results | ALA

Censorship

• Hillsborough commission votes to explore limiting access to some books in public libraries | WFLA (FL)
• Boundary Library policy seeks compromise in book banning debate | Spokesman-Review (ID)
• Revealed: These ten books are considered pornography in Ron DeSantis’ Florida | Popular Information (FL)
• 17 of 23 challenged books reviewed; school board member says books should be reviewed before put in schools | Hickory Daily Record (NC)
• Florida rejects dozens of social studies textbooks, and forces changes in others | New York Times (FL)
  • Florida approves social studies books after references to racism, social justice removed | Miami Herald (FL)
• Groups target professional library conferences and librarians attending them | School Library Journal
• Plattsmouth high school librarian resigns over controversial book policy | KETV (NE)
  • Plattsmouth board of education meets for first time since dozens of books were removed from library shelves | KMTV (NE)
• Fremont city council votes to keep contested book ‘This Book is Gay’ in library | KETV (NE)
• Opinion: A Tennessee teacher planned a Mother’s Day class. Then came the MAGA rage | Washington Post (TN)
• School administration in Galesburg, MI, removes Gender Queer from libraries, violating review policy | NCAC (GA)
• Hempfield board advances policies limiting sexually explicit content in school libraries | Lancaster Online (PA)
  • Parents remain divided over Hempfield school district library book policy | WGAL (PA)
• Public addresses CRT and other issues at Goshen school board meeting | Goshen News (IN)
• An entire Florida school district has banned a kids’ book on segregation | New Republic (FL)
• Billie Jean King’s kids’ book under review in Leon school district after parent complaint | Talahassee Democrat (FL)
• Spotsylvania Co. school board votes to keep sexually explicit books off library shelves | 7News (VA)
• Mentor school board to again take up book challenge as public debate continues | News5 (OH)
• Greeley-Evans school district 6 considers book appeal process on titles residents say are inappropriate | GreeleyTribune (CO)
• Klamath County Library to hold meeting over book club controversy | Herald and News (OR)
• NCSD board rejects book ban request for second time | Casper Star Tribune (WY)
• SC school district sued over book ban, another pulls novel as lawmakers debate CRT | State (SC)
• City Council to vote on resolution in support of library procedures | Rio Rancho Observer (NM)
• CALS preparing federal lawsuit over library bill, director alleges censorship | Arkansas Times (AR)
• Punxsutawney school board continues engineering discussion, opens banned book discussion | Courier Express (PA)
• York teachers reflect on controversial book: Officials | Patch (IL)
• WHS bands together to protect banned books | Wayland Student Press (MA)
• Wakulla pulls book about desegregation from elementary schools after complaint over racist slur | Tallahassee Democrat (FL)
• CMS school board meeting sees more than 40 speakers discussing hot-button topics | WCNC (NC)
• Library officials file police report, citing online ‘threat’ to staff | Reader (ID)

Privacy & Cybersecurity

• FTC proposes ban to stop Meta from sharing data received from minors | Security
• Nationwide push to require soecial media age verification raises questions about privacy, industry standards | Cyberscoop

Legislation

• Holcomb signs bills on student pronoungs, book bans in school libraries | WNDU (IN)
• Ron DeSantis is about to expand Florida’s ‘Don’t say gay’ law | VICE (FL)
• Amended bill would keep tenure at Texas public universities | Texas Tribune (TX)
• Republicans propose to restrict books, prosecute school staff | Wisconsin Examiner (WI)

State and Local Governance

• State GOP urges districts to adopt ‘parental rights’ policies | Gillette News Record (WY)

Net Neutrality & Broadband Access

• Attorney General James secures $615,000 from companies that supplied fake comments to influence FCC’s repeal of net neutrality rules | Office of the New York State Attorney General

International

• Swedish far-right MPs controversial comment sparks ‘culture war’ | Euractiv
• Vietnam censors Netflix shows for ‘hurting the feelings of the people’ | .coda

Around the Web

• The extreme new tactic in the crusade to ban books | TIME
• Self-appointed ‘First Amendment auditors’ put local governments on edge | Montery County Now
• The rising Republican movement to defund public libraries | Vox
• My book is horrifying. My book is a lifeline. My book is banned. | New York Times
• Editorial: Indiana’s book ban bill lets another parent decide what your child can’t read | South Bend Tribune
• It’s not easy being blue | Slate
• Timothy McVeigh’s dreams are coming true | New York Times
• Seattle Public Library launches program to allow teens to access banned books | KTVB
• The Proud Boys have already moved onto their next target: LGBTQ events | Mother Jones
• Drag queen story hour prompts protests, supporters at Morristown Unitarian Universalist Fellowship | New Jersey Hills
• Oklahoma Gov murders Oklahoma PBS, for the kids | Wonkette
• Ron DeSantis said Florida’s banned books are ‘pornographic.’ Here’s what was actually banned. | LGBTQ Nation
• Censorship attacks on public libraries are coming after Nora Roberts & other romance icons | Mary Sue
• School boards are canceling high school student plays for having LGBTQ+ characters | Them
• Asked to delete references to racism from her book, an author refused | New York Times
• 28 states, 71 bills, and an education system transformed | Intelligencer
• Banned book author talks literature, literacy at Easley library | Post and Courier

ALA News

• A 17-month weekly planner for book lovers from Sourcebooks and ALA
• AASL opens call for Poster and IdeaLab Proposals
• PLA programs and events at the 2023 ALA Annual Conference
• AASL Opens Call for 2023-2025 AASL Standards Committee Members
• Core Webinar: Servant Leadership Principles Applied Practically
• New from ACRL – “Integrated Library Planning: A New Model for Strategic and Dynamic Planning, Management, and Assessment”
• Library community mourns loss of Patricia A. “Pat” Wand 
• Core President’s Program features Angela Saini
• ALA President Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada to host Native Hawaiian teacher, cultural practitioner, and author Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu at the ALA President’s Program
• Choice’s ‘The Authority File’ podcast wins 2023 Publisher Podcast Award

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