Highlights

• Giannoulias to testify at Durbin’s Senate hearing on growing number of book bans | Chicago Sun-Times
• Statement against censorship attempts (PDF) | Alabama Library Association
• Maia Kobabe creates comic on librarians, ‘Gender Queer,’ and censorship attacks | School Library Journal
• ALA announces Listening Sessions on revising Freedom to Read Statement | ALA

Censorship

• Volunteers identify ‘inappropriate’ books at Centennial library | Midland Reporter Telegram (TX)
• A PAC vilifying Central Bucks Dems is warning voters about sexually explicit images by mailing out explicit images | Philadelphia Inquirer (PA)
• Conservative book ban push fuels library exodus from American Library Association | NBC News
• After 50 years, South Carolina Department of Education will no longer partner with librarian association | WLTX (SC)
• ‘It is wrong. It is so wrong’ | Citrus Sun Chronicle (FL)
• As some libraries cut ties with American Libraries [sic] Association, AZ stays | KJZZ (AZ)
• Breaking ties with American Library Association on CLN agenda | Coeur d’Alene Post Falls Press (ID)
• Gov. Ivey expresses concern about Alabama libraries | WTVY (AL)
• This small Virginia town could lose its library over LGBTQ+ book brawl | Advocate (VA)
  • Libraries should represenet all, not just the loudest | Royal Examiner (VA)
  • Future of Samuels Library once again hot topic at supervisors’ meeting | Northern Virginia Daily (VA)
  • Virginia mom gives impassioned defense of LGBTQ+ library books: Video | Advocate (VA)
• Prattville council votes down library contract | Alabama Political Reporter (AL)
• Linking bomb threats at Davis Library to LGBTQ+ hate speech is a logical step — Opinion | Sacramento Bee (CA)
• NCAC launches network of local groups to fight book banning | NCAC
• Controversial book pulled from Cobb County school | 95.5 WSB (GA)
• Back to school, back to battle | Boston Globe (MA)
• What you need to know about the book bans sweeping the U.S. | Teachers College, Columbia University
• Our view: Reject those who seek to restrict book access | Sun Chronicle (MA)
• Fairfax County School Board candidate sends controversial mailer to voters | NBC Washington (VA)
• ‘Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You’ removed from district classrooms, kept high school libraries | WHQR (NC)
• At the library: Report shows book challenges set new record high | Chronicle Online (OR)
• Saline County amends library ordinance | Hot Springs Village Voice (AR)
• A Darien school board member crafted policies for curriculum, book challenges. The board rebuked him | Darien Times (CT)
• For teachers, a new year — and new book bans — means more work | Rolling Stone
• New Hanover County school board votes to temporarily ban Stamped from curriculum | WECT (NC)
  • 1 parent is responsible for a book ban in North Carolina | NPR (NC)
• Intrusive legislation intimidates & drives self-censorship in schools | Los Angeles Blade
• Jersey towns battle it out over book bans | New Jersey Monthly (NJ)
• Aussie author’s queer YA novel faces ban in US | Star Observer (TX)
• As Coronado community clashes over LGBTQ+ books, a library navigates a now-familiar backlash | San Diego Union-Tribune (CA)
• Book-banning fanatic assaults opponent. She’s demanding an x-rated section in the library. | LGBTQ Nation (LA)
• ‘I’ll bring a match’: Alabama mayor’s texts ignite a war over LGBTQ books at local library | Reckon (AL)
• Commissioner Anderson addresses books controversy at Centennial library | Midland Reporter-Telegram (TX)

Privacy & Cybersecurity

• Intelligence community to meet with civil liberties groups on controversial surveillance tool | Cyberscoop
• X, formerly known as Twitter, may collect your biometric data and job history | WFMZ

First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties

• Back-to-school basics: Public schools are not Sunday schools | ACLU
• California community college professors sue over diversity, equity and inclusion rules | Hill
• Officials can’t interfere with Pride festival in Tennessee under anti-drag law, judge rules | Los Angeles Times
• Disney wants to narrow the scope of its lawsuit against DeSantis to free speech claim | WBTV (FL)
• Kansas reporter files federal lawsuit against police chief who raided her newspaper’s office | Statesville (KS)

Academic Freedom & Student Speech

• Texas’ political environment driving faculty to leave, survey finds | Texas Tribune

Net Neutrality & Broadband Access

• Senate confirms Anna Gomez to break Joe Biden’s FCC deadlock | Verge

Legislation

• U.S. Senator: “Kids Online Safety Act” will target trans content | Los Angeles Blade

State & Local Governance

• Ron DeSantis just put the co-founder of a book ban advocacy group on Florida’s state ethics commission | Insider (FL)

Disinformation & Information Literacy

• Suspected Chinese operatives using AI generated images to spread disinformation among US voters, Microsoft says | CNN
• A developer built a ‘propaganda machine’ using OpenAI tech to highlight the dangers of mass-produced AI disinformation | Insider

Social Media

• Censorship and decentralized social media: A paradigm shift | Forbes
• ‘Right to Rock Act’ seeks to protect artists’ performances from social media censorship | Talahassee Democrat (FL)

International

• China bans book about the early history of the Mongolian people | Radio Free America

Around the Web

• Encourage high-school students to read more by giving them choices | SmartBrief
• Kids benefit from seeing their lives in books. Banning ‘challenging’ or ‘difficult’ titles is not the answer | Globe and Mail
• Discussion: ‘Book banning and the culture wars’ — September 14 | Smith College
• Wes Anderson speaks out against censorship of Roald Dahl’s books | CBR
• Why is Texas eliminating school libraries? (podcast) | ACLU (TX)
• Sarah Wunsch, dogged defender of civil liberties, dies at 75 | New York Times
• Attleboro school committee candidates differ on student book policy | Sun Chronicle

ALA News

• ALA Applauds Confirmation of New FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez
• Core Webinar – Best of Core at ALA Annual Conference: Sustainable Reparative Description and You
• Core Launches New Preservation Section
• AASL National Conference General Session Explores Censorship and Equity in Education
• Blair Black Selected as the 2023 Peter Lyman Memorial/SAGE Scholarship Recipient
• ALA Announces Staff Transitions in the Associate Executive Director Role
• Twelve libraries recognized in American Libraries’ 2023 Library Design Showcase

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