Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I am currently riding the high of a fantastic walk-off win by the Chicago Cubs, and it’s a good thing, because that’s what’s currently getting me through the slog of book banning updates in this newsletter. You have been warned.
In better news, make sure to check out Book Riot’s New Release Index, which has been keeping velocireaders in the know about all the latest books since 2017! It’s new books for days! Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try.
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
EveryLibrary and Book Riot are partnering to launch a Parent Perceptions Survey on public libraries and current issues.
Lahaina Public Library stands damaged among the wreckage of Maui’s fires.
Cool Library Updates
How library cards became the hottest Jay-Z merch.
C-Span and the Library of Congress are teaming up for a new series called Books That Shaped America.
Book Adaptations in the News
Prince Harry and Meghan’s production company will be adapting Meet Me By the Lake for film.
Here’s a first look at The Fall of the House of Usher.
Trailer for The Changeling.
Censorship News
Was Brave Books’ storytime takeover even successful?
Emily Drabinski talks about the backlash surrounding her tweet about being a “Marxist lesbian.”
The battle over books comes at a steep cost for librarians and teachers.
We Need Diverse Books will award up to $5,000 in diverse titles to schools and libraries in battleground states where book banning is raging. (Three of them are in Florida.)
Penguin Random House announces a new resource to combat banned books.
In self-censorship news, PEN America released a report on literary backlash, online outrage, and the language of harm.
Here’s an interview with Democracy Forward and their strategies for combatting future book bans.
I’m paywalled from this article, but Katy ISD (TX) school board members now have even more power to decide what students can and can’t read.
Citizens Defending Freedom is challenging over 100 books in Fort Worth ISD (TX).
Former Texas state lawmaker Matt Krause who released that 850 title list of inappropriate books “never thought [his] effort would grow so large.” Why are we giving article space to someone who sees book banning as a career highlight?
“A high school assistant principal and a school board president of a rural Texas town have blasted a far-right, anti-LGBTQ+ board trustee for lying her way into a school library in order to pursue her never-ending “crusade against supposed smut in school libraries.” This is at Gransbury ISD.
A look at how the book banning target is expanding from schools to public libraries in Florida.
The libraries in Escambia County (FL) public schools are not closed…they’re just more empty. Meanwhile, in Orange County, school librarians have to inspect “over a million books” to comply with state law.
Experts warn more AP classes could be banned in Florida.
Lee County Schools (FL) aren’t sure what to do if a parent doesn’t make a decision about their student’s library access.
Clay County School District (FL) has pulled 22 books from shelves in response to the challenges filed by Bruce Friedman, who has made it his life’s mission to ban as many books as possible from the district.
Martin County Schools (FL) have removed 90 books prior to the beginning of the new school year.
Confusion over the new state law leads to the alleged closure of Escambia County (FL) school libraries.
(Paywalled) Concerns over sexual content in Shakespeare have led some Florida schools to pull Shakespeare from the curriculum, or only teach excerpts, which are by their nature devoid of context.
New York legislators are introducing several anti-book ban bills in their next legislative session.
Punxsutawney (PA) School Board Director Deneen “Didi” Evans responds to a proposed policy giving parents expanded power to opt their children out of library books: “’I think this form is great, a step in the right direction, but I really think we as a board should go vote to remove these books that aren’t age-appropriate, and books with sexually explicit material.'”
A small group of Wood County (WV) patrons are raising a fuss about Let’s Talk About It and This Book is Gay.
Why Montgomery County (MD) parents are clashing with schools over the book Pride Puppy and other LGBTQ+ titles. (I’m not a betting person, but I bet I can guess why without even reading the article.)
Parents in Spotsylvania County (VA) want the choice to opt their children out of sexually explicit content in school library books, and then get upset when the school asks them to make that choice.
Hanover County (VA) teachers “will soon have to provide a list of all books in their classrooms and research backing those choices up, according to a revised version of the school division’s new book policy.” They have a list of approved sources that their research has to come from, and Book Looks is on that list. Plus, in the original version of the policy, teachers weren’t given an opportunity to argue their case for keeping “sexually explicit” material in their classroom, to give you an idea of how little the board values the expertise of teachers. `
Fauquier County’s (VA) high schools have posted lists of “sexually explicit” books in response to a recent state law and school policy change.
“Supervisor, who requested 2 books be removed from library, says no one wants to ban books.” It’s always the book banners who say “No one wants to ban books, isn’t it?” I appreciate this headline very much. It’s referring to the Samuels Public Library in Virginia, where the director has recently resigned in response to all of this book banning nonsense.
A New Hanover County (NC) resident quoted the Bible and invoked Jesus in order to explain why Stamped should not remain on library shelves.
The Iredell-Statesville School District (NC) continues to be a hot mess. A couple choice quotes from this article: “Why does a committee have to read a 300-page book and then discuss whether it is appropriate, [Vice Chairman Mike Kubiniec] asked, when the highlighted passages that describe sexually explicit behaviors could be reviewed and a decision made?” and “Board member Brian Sloan offered a simple suggestion. ‘If there is one word that a kid can’t speak, then I don’t think it should be inside a school library.’” Y’all, I can’t even.
The Fixer will be returned to Beaufort County (SC) School District shelves.
Alabama is trying to cut ties with ALA.
The Marion County (MS) public library has removed Heartstopper while it addresses a pending challenge.
(Paywalled) In Arkansas, Jennifer Meeks, the wife of a state representative, went on Facebook to talk about how she removed LGBTQ+ and Pride-related titles from Little Free Libraries in Conway and replaced them with other “less objectionable” materials. But according to the headline, her husband has denied these claims, despite his wife’s Facebook post.
Michigan legislators are working on their own set of anti-book ban bills.
The Patmos Library (MI) is going to try to get their funding approved a third time. Their compromise to the bigots who were willing to defund the library over only four books is to add “content descriptions” to the covers of all 90,000 books in their collection. “The labels would be copied from book descriptions from the Library of Congress or book-selling websites like Amazon. The labels won’t include anything written by the staff or the library board. While not offering warnings, those descriptions could provide clues to parents about content some may find objectionable for their children.” AKA information that parents could look up ON THEIR OWN. Or just read the back of the damn book! What a spectacular waste of library time and resources!
John Green calls Hamilton County’s (IN) decision to remove The Fault in Our Stars from the teen section at Hamilton East Public Library “ludicrous.” “It is about teenagers and I wrote it for teenagers. Teenagers are not harmed by reading TFIOS.”
Paywalled: One of the Hamilton East trustees may lose his seat, and while there aren’t any specific details, he has not agreed with the board’s book banning efforts.
“A group protesting “inappropriate” books in Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. libraries [IN] took over the public comment section of Monday night’s school board meeting, taking advantage of a new policy that allows the public to talk about any subject, whether or not it is on the agenda.”
Talcott Library (IL) patrons are arguing that This Book is Gay is emotionally damaging to young children. One person said, “If I came across this at that age, it would be emotionally terrible for young children. These types of books make easy targets for young predators.” You know what’s damaging? Active shooter drills and our elected leaders not giving a flying crap about children dying at school. You know what’s not damaging? Reading about LGBTQ+ people.
The Illinois book ban legislation is great for schools and libraries but overlooks censorship in prisons.
Urbandale schools (IA) allegedly have hit pause on removing books referencing gender identity and sexual orientation.
Legislators aren’t telling you what the Iowa book ban law really says.
Mason City Community School District (IA) is using ChatGPT to help them remove sexually explicit titles.
Grand Forks School Board (ND) will not be removing six challenged books.
“After 130 days of waiting on an open records request regarding alleged pornography in schools, the Oklahoma State Department of Education said they do not maintain such a list.” Quelle surprise.
Academy School District 20 in Colorado Springs has returned Push and Identical to library shelves, primarily because the school removed them without receiving an official challenge or following any established protocol.
There’s a legal case happening in Colorado, where the law is currently being interpreted to provide anonymity for people who submit book challenges, under the guise of patron privacy. This article explains why that’s a bad interpretation for democracy, and you can bet that the results of this case will have implications in other states as well.
Lander Valley High School (WY) lost a librarian “due to what he described as a climate of discrimination against LGBTQ+ students and the censorship of educators.”
Natrona County School District (WY) implements an opt in/opt out policy for library materials,
The Campbell County Public Library (WY) board showed cowardice in firing the director.
Vancouver Public Library has fielded 17 book challenges and one challenge to a CD in the last year and a half, although none of the items were removed.
“The Australian Christian Lobby has launched a new initiative encouraging their followers to scour their local libraries for books that they think might be suitable for complaints to authorities. Those who are quick to submit suggestions on books to be banned can win prizes.” Y’all………
Books & Authors in the News
Revisiting Michael Lewis’ The Blind Side in the wake of Michael Oher’s lawsuit that says he was never legally adopted by the Tuohy family, and was cheated out of millions of dollars from the movie.
Robbie Robertson’s 2017 memoir hits the best-seller lists following his death last week.
Meanwhile, Jennette McCurdy’s memoir has spent the last year on the NYT’s Bestseller list.
Viola Fletcher, survivor of the Tulsa Massacre, is the oldest woman to release a memoir at 109.
Numbers & Trends
Reports find that YouTube is more popular for book discovery purposes than TikTok for readers between 14 and 25 years old.
Germany’s new KulturPass gave €200 to registered 18-year-olds to spend on “cultural products, events, and services.” In the last two months, books have overwhelmingly made up the majority of purchases.
The books that lost publishers the most money.
Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous
A reading guide for adults who don’t read.
Why reading books can improve your brain health.
On learning to read generously.
Join Rebecca & Jeff in the First Edition podcast to consider the 10 finalists for the “It Book” of August and pick a winner.
On the Riot
The importance of book-centered spaces as third places.
How well does How to Eat Fried Worms hold up on its 50th birthday?
Bookstores with fantastic websites for browsing.
How and where to learn bookbinding.
Dini supervising my husband while he makes dinner. Blaine texted me saying Dini kept chirping at his feet while he got dinner in the Crock Pot, and then said “He’s so excited for this dinner…I almost feel bad he can’t eat any of it!”
Well, that’s all folks. I’ll pop back in on Tuesday.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter