Highlights

• Eric C. Novotny selected as the recipient of the LHRT Innovation and Advocacy in Library History Award
• Hermina G. B. Anghelescu selected as the recipient of the LHRT Distinguished Service in Library History Award

Censorship

• US federal court upholds Texas library’s removal of books from circulation | Jurist (TX)
  • The Right to Read is Dead (in the Fifth Circuit) | Adventures in Censorship (TX)
  • No right to information at public libraries, 5th Circuit rules | UPI (TX)
  • Appeals court allows Texas library to remove books based on sex, race concerns | News 4 San Antonio (TX)
  • Politics Can Now Dictate Public Library Collections in Three States, Per Fifth Circuit Ruling | Book Riot (TX)
• A Ken-Ton mother wants 27 books pulled from school libraries over explicit sexual content | Buffalo News (NY)
• City Hall: Talks on making school district a dept. heat up, school board opposes ‘book ban’ | Union Leader (NH)
• Big attorney fees following book ban battle | Courthouse News Service (AR)
• Supervisor Majority Accused of Lying About Anti-Samuels Library Effort as Late Public Comments Become Pointed | Royal Examiner (VA)
• Lowell school librarian sues parent over years-long harassment, false claims | WZZM (MI)
• Escambia school board wants to speed up the process of reviewing challenged library books | Pensacola News Journal (FL)
• Virginia’s Rockingham County Public Schools Removes Library Books Contrary to the Recommendations of a Review Committee | NCAC (VA)
• Yes and No arguments on Huntington Beach Measures A and B | Orange County Register (CA)

Privacy & Cybersecurity

• Black Students Are Being Watched Under AI — and They Know It | Atlanta Voice
• Trump Seeks Extensive Student Data in Pressure Campaign to Control Harvard | New York Times
• FBI Wants Access To Encrypted iPhone And Android Data—So Does Europe | Forbes

First Amendment & Civil Rights

• For Trump, Civil Rights Protections Should Help White Men | New York Times
• DHS Reverses Decision to Abolish Three Key Civil Rights Offices | Public Citizen
• Supreme Court declines to hear student’s bid to wear ‘two genders’ shirt to school | Hill
• Ahead of Mahmoud v Taylor oral arguments Interfaith Alliance submits amicus curiae brief Introduction to LGBTQ perspectives does not infringe religious freedom | Interfaith Alliance
• ACLU of Texas, Civil Liberties Groups Will Sue Over Texas Law Requiring Ten Commandments in Public Schools | ACLU (TX)

Academic Freedom & Student Speech

• The Trump administration’s move to ban international students at Harvard escalates attacks on universities | Conversation
  • DHS Benchslapped With Immediate TRO In Harvard Student Visas Case | Above the Law
• Trump vs. Harvard: The war on American knowledge | Madras Courier
  • Universities See Trump’s Harvard Move as a Threat to Them, Too | New York Times
  • This isn’t just about Harvard | FIRE
• State Department Halts Interviews for Student and Exchange Visas | New York Times
• Opinion: Censorship is threatening the academic mission of the University of Alaska | ADN (AK)
• ‘I don’t want my kids hearing that’: Oklahoma parents look to opt out of new social studies content | Oklahoma Voice (OK)
• U.S. Will ‘Aggressively’ Revoke Visas of Chinese Students, Rubio Says | New York Times

Legislation

• Bill to limit book bans in Delaware passes House after debate on seven Republican-filed amendments | Delaware Public Media (DE)
• Texas moves forward with expansive social media ban for minors, reigniting debate over platform restrictions | NBC DFW (TX)
• Texas DEI ban in public schools approved in the House | Texas Tribune (TX)
• Texas House advances bill that would give school board, parents control over school library material | Spectrum Local News (TX)
  • Trustees can block ‘indecent’ school library books under bill passed by Texas House | Dallas Morning News (TX)
  • Texas parents protest book ban legislation with ‘read-in’ at Capitol | KVUE (TX)

Social Media & AI

• Former surgeon general recommends delaying children using social media for ‘as long as possible’ | Hill
• US to ban foreign officials over ‘flagrant censorship’ on social media | USA Today
• Privacy, AI, and Consumer Protection Takeaways from FTC Chairman’s House Testimony | JD Supra

Journalism & Media

• NPR sues Trump, says funding cut violates First Amendment | Reuters
• Open letter: UO journalism faculty, staff warn of growing threats to the press | Register-Guard
• Trump Lawyers Claim ‘60 Minutes’ Harris Interview Caused Him ‘Mental Anguish,’ Argue That the ‘First Amendment Is No Shield to News Distortion’ in Motion to Deny Paramount Bid to Dismiss Lawsuit | Variety

Disinformation & Media Literacy

• Gendered Disinformation as Infrastructure: How Tech Billionaires Shape Political Power | Tech Policy
• NATO Assembly calls for decisive action on cyberattacks and disinformation, stronger partnerships | NATO
• Weaponized storytelling: How AI is helping researchers sniff out disinformation campaigns | FIU News

International

• Tehran Book Fair, Uncensored gives voice to authors, publishers banned in Iran | Newmarket Today (Canada)
• ‘Alarming’ rise in regional internet censorship in China, study finds | Guardian (China)
• Alberta to change rules to ensure books in schools are ‘age-appropriate’ | CBC (Canada)
  • US to ban foreign officials over ‘flagrant censorship’ on social media | RD News Now (Canada)
• Not just books: Yale-NUS students told to destroy DVDs before graduation, sparking outcry over loss of cultural materials | MalayMail (Singapore)

Around the Web

• The New Dark Age: The Trump administration has launched an attack on knowledge itself. | Atlantic
• National Coalition of Nonprofits and Funders Launch New Award to Celebrate Civic Bravery | United Way
• Criticism of Trump Was Removed From Documentary on Public Television | New York Times
• Don’t use censorship to fight antisemitism | Hill
• A Banned Stephen King Book Was Adapted Into A Christopher Walken Classic In The ’80s | Slash Film
• Patmos Library reopening to public after temporary closure due to staffing shortage | WZZM
• A Century of Vision: The Women Who Built Samuels Public Library | Royal Examiner
• School board in Wake County, North Carolina, approves Freedom to Read grants. Critics say they promote porn | Union-Bulletin
• Juneteenth & Black Inventors: Celebrating Freedom Through Innovation | EIN Press Wire
• What Are They Reading? | Slate
• Who’s on your school board — and why it matters now more than ever | WXXI
• Creep: Kirk Cameron | QSaltLake Magazine
• Denver community upset with temporary removal of artifacts from African-American Research Library | CBS News
• Fighting Authoritarianism at the Local Level | Progressive Magazine
• NCAC and Brooklyn Public Library Launch Teen Advocacy Institute | News Bites | School Library Journal
• As Threats and Harassment of Authors Spill Over Into Bookstore Appearances, Safety Experts Offer Guidance | PEN America
• Judge declines to halt firing of Copyright Office head Shira Perlmutter | Roll Call

ALA News

• Library programming to advance the sustainable development goals
• AASL Announces 2025 Best Digital Tools for Teaching & Learning

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