Welcome to Check Your Shelf. It’s that wonderful time of year again, where I have to play the game of “Is it allergies or is it COVID?” Will a scratchy throat ever stop feeling like a doomsday proclamation?
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
The largest budget in Birmingham history underfunds libraries and may lead to multiple branch closures.
McFarland (CA) City Manager says that he wants to turn the town’s only library (which is currently struggling to stay open more than 2 days a week) into the town’s police headquarters.
The New York Public Library’s temporary Grand Central branch won over the community. Now it might close.
Cool Library Updates
The Bozeman (MT) Public Library starts a mobile food pantry.
Worth Reading
New York City is supposed to have a librarian in every secondary school — so where are they?
What does my library need to know about eBook laws?
A brief history of library cats.
Book Adaptations in the News
Nine Perfect Strangers is close to a Season 2 renewal with Hulu.
Julianne Moore and Sandra Oh are starring in an adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s short story, “Stone Mattress.”
Taraji P. Henson is in talks to produce and star in Queenie for BET studios.
Christopher Walken has been cast as the emperor in Dune, Part Two.
Wilder Valderrama is executive producing the YA crime novel Keep This To Yourself for Telemundo.
10 Stephen King remakes, ranked.
15 Stephen King novels that are just screaming to be adapted (or re-adapted).
Banned & Challenged Books
The School Board Project, Round 1.
Conservative parents take aim at library apps meant to expand access to books.
GOP senators urge TV ratings board to warn viewers of “disturbing” LGBTQ content.
Texas librarians face harassment as they navigate book bans.
Constables investigate a book complaint at Granbury High School (TX). The superintendent says this was due to the books containing sexual content, but opponents say that the content is educational, not sexual.
A preliminary injunction request has been filed against Llano County Library System (TX).
Denton ISD (TX) school officials hear complaints about “pornographic” school library materials.
Newly released documents reveal which items were flagged as Critical Race Theory in Florida’s textbook review.
Here’s what DeSantis meant when he accused textbooks of “indoctrination.”
Indian River County School District (FL) officials have officially been cleared of charges related to a lawsuit filed by the Moms for Liberty.
Polk County (FL) retains almost all of the books that were under review, although some of the books have been moved from specific school libraries.
The Brevard (FL) chapter of the Moms of Liberty have added The Kite Runner and Slaughterhouse-Five to their list of targeted books. Meanwhile, the Brevard County School Board will be voting on policies regarding the removal of contested books.
Florida attorney Daniel Uhlfelder is organizing against Walton County’s recent book ban, calling it “government overreach and suppression.” Uhlfelder is one of three Democrats vying to challenge the incumbent Florida Attorney General in November.
A Florida school yearbook is on hold due to images of students holding rainbow flags and protesting the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
St. Johns County (FL) parents are pushing to have 56 books removed from school libraries, including Peanut Goes For the Gold by Jonathan Van Ness.
The Mississippi school district that fired assistant principal Toby Price for reading the book I Need a New Butt! stands by its ridiculous decision.
Another Mississippi school warned a teacher that sharing her LGBTQ identity could be considered a fireable offense.
Are certain books being removed from Arkansas classrooms and libraries?
Milford Schools (OH) will not remove In the Time of the Butterflies from the 10th grade curriculum.
Northwest Allen County School board (IN) approves three math textbooks but rejects one due to “inappropriate content.”
Utah’s Attorney General gives guidance to schools regarding how (and if) they can pull a library book from school shelves.
Kent (WA) middle school librarian Gavin Downing wins the Intellectual Freedom Award from the Washington Library Association for his work fighting against recent censorship in his district.
Enid (OK) city attorney meets with library officials about a possible lawsuit. No action has been taken.
The Newton (KS) school board considers creating a panel to screen library books for objectionable content.
The Oakley Public Library (KS) receives a complaint about the picture book Fred Gets Dressed, which depicts a young boy running through the house naked and dressing up in his mother’s clothes. The complainant said that the book depicts “LGBTQ content.”
Tennessee officially passed a bill that will ban “dangerous” books from public school libraries, but librarians are fighting back.
Hanover (VA) supervisor urges the school board to fast-track book removal decisions.
The Virginia Beach school board elects to remove Gender Queer from library shelves.
Madison County (VA) School Board discusses a potential ban of critical race theory, gender, and sexuality discussions.
Once again, concerned citizens need to be reminded that there is a policy for selecting new school library materials, as well as a policy for requesting the removal of library materials. (This time it’s in Frederick County, Virginia).
Maine Republicans officially adopt a platform to ban sexually-based materials, transgender identity, and critical race theory in public schools.
Letter to the editor: Don’t let Maine Republicans ban books.
RSU 40 Board of Directors (ME) heard additional complaints about Gender Queer and Lawn Boy in the Medomak Valley High School library, although the superintendent said that the books had already been reviewed, and the district’s decision was to keep them in the library.
RSU 56 (ME) reviews whether or not to keep Gender Queer in school libraries.
Canaan Schools (VT) elect to keep three LGBTQ books in school libraries, but the controversy hasn’t ended.
The Westerley (RI) School Committee discusses the future of student representative reports.
Wappingers School District (NY) junior Mandy Zhang continues to petition to get Gender Queer returned to the school library.
New Jersey school board elections become a battleground over diverse, inclusive curriculum.
Teens in Pennsylvania have created a fundraiser to counteract book banning.
A vote to purchase new school library books for PENNCREST (PA) schools has been delayed due to a board member’s concern that some of the books discussed racism.
Central Bucks (PA) parents protest the removal of Pride flags. The superintendent responded that the school needed to be apolitical, saying “I can tell you right now, hanging a flag doesn’t do anything to keep a kid safe.” WOW. Just…WOW.
A top Navy admiral has quietly removed “woke” books from the CNO Professional Reading Program, including How to Be an Antiracist and The New Jim Crow.
Books & Authors in the News
Fantasy author Patricia A. McKillip has died at 74.
An 8 year old published a book about how a turtle got its shell, and he’ll be donating the proceeds to his school for art and music supplies.
Read Bram Stoker’s Dracula in real time with the Dracula Daily.
Numbers & Trends
These are the most and least popular states for book settings.
And these are the states that love reading the most.
Award News
The 2021 Bram Stoker Awards have been announced!
Patricia Lockwood wins the 2022 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize for No One is Talking About This.
The 91st annual California Book Awards have been announced.
The US Selfies shortlist has been announced.
Pop Cultured
These are the 50 most popular podcasts in the US from the first quarter of the year.
Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous
How to survive the post-book blues.
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
On the Riot
The best summer reading programs of 2022.
How to have a positive bookish community (even on Twitter).
Have a cat photo! I’m not sure what I was doing on my computer, but I like to think this is a photo of Dini helping me put together the newsletter. He’s very helpful. Always keeping an eye on me.
Well, that’s all I’ve got for this week. Stay well, and I’ll catch you on Tuesday.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently listening to The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes.