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Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I’m not going to link to the tweet that was making the rounds earlier this week (you know…that tweet), but I will say I hope all of you are weeding one of your library’s collection with ruthless efficiency this week.
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
Maryland defends its library eBook law against the Association of American Publishers.
Public libraries are the latest places to pick up a COVID test, and librarians are overwhelmed.
Cool Library Updates
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., fifteen Little Free Libraries will pop up throughout Philadelphia this spring.
A horse is a horse, of course, of course, and no one can talk to a horse of course, that is of course unless the horse has its very own library card!
Worth Reading
The High Plains Library District’s programming policy welcomes censorship.
Freedom libraries and the fight for equity.
Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!
Book Adaptations in the News
Tomi Adeyemi will be writing and executive producing the adaptation of her YA novel Children of Blood and Bone.
Mahershala Ali is starring in the limited series adaptation of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot.
A limited series based on the novel The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont is in the works at Miramont TV.
A stage production of The Kite Runner will make its Broadway debut.
Here’s a first look at the upcoming YA drama The Sky is Everywhere.
I Know What You Did Last Summer is being canceled by Amazon after one season.
Here’s an update on Season 2 of Shadow and Bone.
Trailer for The Girl Before.
Banned & Challenged Books
The right-wing group No Left Turn, has written a letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland to demand an investigation across the country of school materials. And this censorship news roundup from Book Riot illustrates a lot of the key strategies that groups like this continue to use to get books banned from schools and libraries.
A Texas charter school had to remove an anti-racist quote from its website before it was allowed to open. The quote was from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.
Threats from Governor Abbott are among the reasons why Keller ISD (TX) keeps book challenges secret.
The National Coalition Against Censorship expresses concern about It’s Perfectly Normal and The Night Kitchen being removed from the Llano County Library (TX).
How book bans in Texas schools could be a violation of students’ First Amendment rights.
Gender Queer has been returned to Wake County Public Library (NC) shelves, although it will be re-evaluated once the library has finished revising its book review policy.
The Spotsylvania (VA) School Board appoints a new Chair, who has previously supported book burning.
Loudoun County (VA) schools pull Gender Queer from their shelves.
The school board in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, voted to remove Beyond Magenta from the high school library.
Ron DeSantis wants to let parents sue schools that teach critical race theory.
Iowa lawmakers are likely to look at the school library book selection process during their current legislative session.
Indiana school board members pushed back against a Republican-backed proposal that would make school board elections partisan.
An Alexandria (IN) librarian testifies against two state bills that would seriously impact libraries and free speech if passed.
A Northridge (IN) parent group raises concerns about the books Out of Darkness, Everybody Sees the Ants, and The Infinite Moment of Us.
Missouri legislators debate new bills surrounding Critical Race Theory and allowing parents to censor class materials given to their children.
Monett High School (MO) removes Dear Martin from its freshman required reading list and replaces it with To Kill a Mockingbird.
Pennridge School Board (PA) will vote on the inclusion of new textbooks for AP History, as well as Social Studies for grades 1 – 5.
A Kutztown (PA) 8th grade student creates a Teen Banned Book Club in conjunction with a local bookstore.
Bristow Public Schools (OK) are returning 39 of the 47 books previously removed from shelves for review.
At the most recent Natrona School District (WY) meeting, the majority of public attendees spoke out against book removal. Amid the talk of banned books, one Natrona County School District (WY) student observes, “The world is not censored or protected.”
The ImagineIF Library Board (MT) voted to retain Lawn Boy and have suspended discussion on Gender Queer in anticipation of changes to the collection development policy.
While this news item isn’t about banning books per se, the same sentiment applies…Hate group marches from Maine to New Hampshire to protest a drag queen performing in an empty theater. From the article: “The show of bravado and strength involved walking across a bridge with a stupid banner that included a big word.” The group did not return for the most recent performance.
The Streisand Effect won’t save us from censorship.
This report details how book bans are targeting work by Black writers.
Prison systems insist on banning books by Black authors. It’s time to end the censorship.
Books & Authors in the News
Steve Jenkins, the celebrated science author for children, has died at 69.
Crime author Andrew Vachss has died at 79.
Trailblazing Black journalist Ida B. Wells has been immortalized by Barbie.
Roxane Gay launches a new talk show podcast, called The Roxane Gay Agenda, which is officially the greatest name of any podcast.
Numbers & Trends
A record-breaking 121 libraries and consortia surpassed one million digital checkouts in 2021, according to OverDrive.
Why are Americans buying more books but reading fewer than ever?
Award News
The Mystery Writers of America announced the 2022 Edgar Award nominees, along with the Grand Master, Raven, and Ellery Queen Award recipients.
The Canada Reads 2022 longlist has been announced.
Pop Cultured
Shocking true crime podcasts to listen to in 2022.
Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous
Automatic 24-hour book dispensers are set to become 2022’s newest trend
On the Riot
Take a tour through Philadelphia’s libraries, archives, and special collections.
Scene stealers: 8 great books-to-films in 2022.
The Giving Tree gets its own Forever stamp.
Want to work at a bookstore? Here are some tips to keep it fun.
Are you really a reader if you have to motivate yourself to read books?
The art of ghostwriting is as human as it gets.
Should you look up words you don’t know while reading?
Why does TikTok love weird erotica?
How list-type books helped this reader through difficult times.
How cookbooks helped this reader reconnect with food.
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
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You made it! And now, a cat photo. Gilbert likes to pretend that Houdini is the most annoying little brother ever, but I have photographic proof that says otherwise.
Take care of yourselves this weekend. I’ll see you on Tuesday.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.