Category: General Interest
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.
Banned Books Week 2021 Events Across the Country
Banned Books Week is just around the corner (Sept. 26 – Oct. 2, 2021)! Here’s how some libraries, bookstores, and museums are celebrating!
Redlining Takes Digital Form: How Can Libraries Help?
Historically, redlining refers to the practice of banks using maps to withhold loans for certain areas, usually poor communities of people of color. Now redlining takes digital form as Internet Service Providers (ISPs) get to choose where to build their networks and what types of plans are available. In today’s society, a reliable internet connection is a necessity, often required for job applications, scheduling travel, connecting with others, online education, and more recently working remotely from home. Those without an affordable high speed internet plan are at a distinct disadvantage, and communities with limited ISP options will again face obstacles for growth. Poor communities, often people of color, are being denied options for reliable internet plans when compared to white communities in the same area.
How and Why Libraries Should Strive to Create Safe, Culturally Responsive Spaces
Although diversity and representation have long been core tenets of the library profession, recent research in racial trauma and lasting physical, psychological, and social effects reinforces the unique role of the librarian in serving youth communities.
15 Unforgettable Responses to the 2020 Banned Books List from Authors, Librarians, Readers
The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom recently released the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2020. Here are some reactions and responses from authors, librarians, and readers.