Highlights

• ALA announces 240 recipients of library accessibility funding for small and rural libraries
• Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table celebrates the 2023 recipients of the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries – Billings Public Library, Blue Island Public Library, and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

Censorship

• Saline County billboard causes controversy throughout Arkansas | KARK (AR)
  • Saline library chief decries GOP’s ‘x-rated’ book billboard | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR)
• The book-bans debate has finally reached a turning point | Atlantic
• Parents file a police report after teacher offers LGBTQ-themed book to her middle schoolers | NBC News (IL)
• Texas mom sends lawmakers dozens of ‘filthy books’ found in school libraries | Texas Scorecard (TX)
• CO Springs school district bans books | Colorado Times Reporter (CO)
• Central York School District holds first read of revised book policy | FOX43 (PA)
• Array of voices at York County Council meeting, debate LGBTQ+ books’ place in library | Herald Online (SC)
• Florida teacher under state investiation for showing 5th graders a Disnery movie | Popular Information (FL)
• After concerns, Hamilton County school district cancel’s librarian’s Mother’s Day lesson | News Channel 9 (TN)
  • Librarian’s canceled Mother’s Day lesson hot topic at Hamilton Co. school board Thursday | News Channel 9 (TN)
• PEN America, Penguin Random House sue Florida school district over ‘unconstitutional’ book bans | Publishers Weekly (FL)
  • Florida county school district sued by largest U.S. publisher over book ban | CBS News (FL)
• The student protesters were arrested. The man who got violent in the parking lot wasn’t. | ProPublica (AR)
• A closer look at Florida’s rejected social studies textbooks | Tampa Bay Times (FL)
  • 2 books on Holocaust rejected by Florida Department of Education | Fox 35 Orlando (FL)
• Florida schools weaponize DeSantis’ baseless ‘pornography’ claim to restrict book access | MSNBC (FL)
• ACLU of Massachusetts pushes back against proposed Ludlow book restriction policy | ACLU Massachusetts (MA)
• FPC removes 2 books under challenge without review, abruptly cancellin 2 committee meetings | Flagler Live (FL)
• ‘Outright war’: ‘Gender Queer’ and the attack on Michigan libraries | Michigan Live (MI)’
• School board permanently removes ‘Gender Queer’ from the Galesburg-Augusta High School library | WMUK (MI)
• Central Bucks school district bans 2 books from libraries | 6ABC (PA)
• DD2 school board votest to let book on racism remain in school libraries | WCIV (SC)
• Parent group: Japanese sci-fi book series too violent, inappropriate for high school libraries | Fox35 Orlando (FL)
• Newtown Board of Ed deadlocked on whether to keep or ban challenged books | NBC Connecticut (CT)
• Mem Fox book banned in Florida, as lawmakers conflate nudity and sexuality | New Daily (FL)
• Policies on library book selection, dress code mulled by Calvert school board | SoMd News (MD)
• Public school libraries see impending restrictions; Critics contact Waco trustees | Waco Tribune-Herald (TX)
• Crawford County library board looks to create new public comment policy after increased engagement at meetings | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR)
• Nixa school board to discuss student access to seven books at June meeting | Springfield News-Leader (MO)
• Sarasota County schools improperly removes Choke from school libraries | NCAC (FL)
• Teachers, librarians targeted by angry parents over LGBTQ books speak out | ABC News
• Book deemed inappropriate removed from elementary schools in Wakulla County | WTXL (FL)

Privacy & Cybersecurity

• Tennessee passes comprehensive data privacy law | Lexology (TN)
• U.S. Department of Education releases new guidance regarding FERPA and student health records | JD Supra
• Online age verification is coming, and privacy is on the chopping block | Verge
• TSA is testing facial recognition technology in 16 airports across the country as critics say it’s a ‘risk to civil liberties and privacy rights’ | Fortune

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties

• After parent groups are removed from a school library lawsuit, the focus turns to cost | WUSF (FL)

Academic Freedom & Campus Speech

• DeSantis signs 3 bills bringing major change to Florida universities | Tampa Bay Times (FL)
• Indiana’s funding ban for Kinsey sex-research institute threatens academic freedom, IU president says | Chronicle of Higher Education (IN)

Legislation

• ‘Wild West’ of book bans: New legislation, complaints lead to increasing debates | Tennessean (TN)
• DeSantis signs bill defunding diversity spending in state schools | New York Times (FL)
• Gov. DeSantis approves restricting pronoun use in schools, expanding book challenge powers | Florida Politics (FL)
• Keeping access to a right: Librarians, academics critical of new books law | Tribune-Star (IN)
• Educators concerned about ‘book banning’ bill’s impacts | Kokomo Tribune (IN)
• Ohio senate passes SB 83, controversial higher education bill. What would it do? | Columbus Dispatch (OH)
• Texas legislature bans transgender medical care for children | New York Times (TX)
• Wisconsin law would allow prosecution of school staff over ‘inappropriate’ books | The 74 (WI)
• ‘The point is intimidation’: Florida’s teachers beseiged by draconian laws | Guardian (FL)

Social Media

• TikTok ban signed in Montana, paving way for First Amendment legal battle | Wall Street Journal

Disinformation & Information Literacy

• AI-generated disinformation poses threat of misleading voters in 2024 election | PBS

International

• The UK’s secretive web surveillance program is ramping up | WIRED

Around the Web

• Salman Rushdie says ‘attack on books’ in Florida ‘has never been more dangerous’ | CNN
• Opinion: Books are not land mines | NPR
• Black parents among highest percentage pulling students from public school | Spectrum News
• “Book Sanctuary” opens in all branches of Broward County Library System including North Regional/Broward College in Coconut Creek | Tap Into Coconut Creek
• Drag queen story hour returns to Washoe County libraries | Reno Gazette Journal
• The Republican plan to take over school boards may be backfiring | Vox
• These North Texas cities voted against conservative school boards | Local Profile
• In appreciation of school librarians | NEA
• How to teach about systemic inequality and racism | Inside Higher Ed
• Book banners beware. In the end, either your efforts fail or democracy disappears: Brent Larkin | Cleveland.com
• Two moms are at the center of the fight against book banning in America: ‘It’s exhuasting’ | Los Angeles Times
• DeSantis calls Florida a ‘citadel of freedom’ in Iowa speech celebrating the state’s book and pronoun bans | Insider
• Up against the wall, librarian | Seattle Times

ALA News

• ALA Releases Libraries Build Business Communications Toolkit for Library Workers
• AASL’s exploration of the Shared Foundations continues with Engage
• AASL Announces 2023 Best Digital Tools for Teaching & Learning
• Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table Announces Recipients of the GNCRT Comics Librarian Conference Travel Grant
• Stephen Hearn Awarded 2023 Margaret Mann Citation
• PLA expands Digital Literacy Workshop Incentives for public libraries, with support from AT&T

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