Censorship Surge Threatens U.S. Public Libraries

A new PEN America study, *Out of Circulation: Expanding Censorship in Public Libraries*, warns that public libraries across the United States are “at breaking point” due to a wave of political interference, harassment, and ideological book bans. The report documents verbal and physical attacks on librarians, the removal of LGBTQ-focused titles, and the appointment of politically aligned board members who seek to eliminate material deemed “inappropriate.”

The Guardian

The surge follows coordinated campaigns by groups such as Moms for Liberty and state-level legislation that expands governmental control over library governance. An Idaho law enacted earlier this year now lets city councils hire and fire library directors, a power previously reserved for appointed boards. Similar proposals in Alabama would allow local officials to remove board members without cause. Conservative activist Riley Gaines, appointed to a Tennessee county library board, has publicly labeled transgender-themed books “filth” and pushed for their removal, reflecting a broader trend of right-wing officials using board positions to shape collections.

The Guardian

• PEN America tracked almost 23,000 book bans in school libraries since 2021 and notes that 51 % of all attempted bans nationwide, according to the American Library Association, now occur in public libraries.

The Guardian

• The report cites incidents in New York, Massachusetts and Nevada where bomb threats, protests and a physical assault on a librarian forced the cancellation of drag-show events and story-time programs.

The Guardian

Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read project, said the trend reflects a politically driven effort to control readers’ access to ideas.

The Guardian

> “Increasingly, they are censorship battlegrounds. When libraries become targets, communities suffer. The consequences extend to authors whose books are taken off shelves and readers who are denied access to stories and information.” — PEN America

The Guardian

Philomena Polefrone, senior manager of the Freedom to Read project, added that the same arguments used to censor schools are now eroding public libraries, depriving users of vital services and community affirmation.

The Guardian

Local librarians have faced retaliation, exemplified by the firing of Suzette Baker, a branch head librarian in Llano County, Texas, after she refused to remove a list of contested titles. Meanwhile, grassroots efforts have emerged to defend library autonomy; after recent primary elections, several Moms for Liberty candidates lost seats, and the group lost its majority on the Sarasota school board, indicating a pushback against the censorship agenda.

The Guardian