weirdwriter , to bookstodon group

Sharing again because I haven't found a place to get clear, ongoing, coverage about book bans and book censorship. The Literary Activism newsletter is moving to this RSS feed. https://bookriot.com/category/literary-activism/feed/ # @books @bookstodon

dbsalk , to bookstodon group
@dbsalk@mastodon.social avatar

My heart aches for the children who will no longer have access to their local library because some arrogant assholes decided to be offended by books with new ideas and different perspectives.

The cruelty is the point.

https://bookriot.com/donnelly-public-library-adults-only/

@bookstodon [email protected]

CultureDesk , to bookstodon group
@CultureDesk@flipboard.social avatar

Courtney Gore, the co-host of a right-wing online talk show, won a seat on a Texas school board on the basis that she would undo leftist indoctrination and get rid of educational materials with inappropriate messages about sexuality and race. Then she took office and actually read the curriculum, finding that the subject matter simply taught children “how to be a good friend, a good human.” The Texas Tribune talked to her about why she ran for office, what she thinks is behind the push to take over school boards, and the backlash she's faced since speaking out against the ultra-right element of the Republican party.

https://flip.it/JY-7Pf

@bookstodon

herhandsmyhands , to Romancelandia group
@herhandsmyhands@romancelandia.club avatar

@romancelandia

By Kelly Jensen at Book Riot:

Common Myths about Book Bans.

https://bookriot.com/common-myths-about-book-bans

herhandsmyhands OP ,
@herhandsmyhands@romancelandia.club avatar

@romancelandia

If you care about books, about libraries, and about your own freedom to read (and write) whatever the hell you want, it behooves you to pay attention. Currently, Kelly Jensen is the only journalist devoted to this beat, 24/7, for several years now.

Here's her call to action: pay attention and show up locally; don't hope for someone else to stand up for your rights.

@bookstodon
https://bookriot.com/how-public-libraries-are-targeted/

The ways to respond have been outlined in the several years we’ve been covering book banning and censorship here. The long and short: show up and vote — only 18% of my county’s eligible voters even bothered in last week’s election, meaning that fewer than 1 in 5 adults decided the fate of the entire county (I’m in a state where we have some of the easiest access to voting nationwide, so imagine the numbers where barriers purposefully erase voices); show up and use your library; show up by writing everyone who represents you and tell them the value of the library; show up and run for boards; show up and write and speak at board meetings; show up and find as many library supporters as you can to do all of these things and more, regularly. If you work in libraries, you can do all of these things, as well as ensure your collection management policies are airtight; that you are advocating for yourself and not just hoping outside groups do so; use the data to continue emphasizing how trustworthy you are seen in your community — it is leaps and bounds more than the politicians in your community.

Book bans in public libraries continue to increase. Per numbers released by the American Library Association (ALA) this month, there was a 92% increase in requests to ban books in public libraries over the last year. These numbers are nowhere near accurate in terms of quantity and scope, as they only showcase reports acquired or received by the ALA, but they offer a solid perspective of what we know to be true. Public libraries are not immune to the book banning which has taken hold since 2021. Book banning is not limited to school libraries. But something that needs to be addressed more plainly is that censorship in public libraries does and will continue to look different than in school libraries. Yes, people will and do complain about individual titles or lists of titles. The destruction of public institutions remains at the core of the agenda, but when it comes to public libraries, things look different because they are different institutions than public schools. Here are several ways we’re seeing public libraries being targeted.
ALT
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    • herhandsmyhands OP ,
    @herhandsmyhands@romancelandia.club avatar

    @romancelandia @bookstodon

    April is sexual assault awareness month, and Kelly Jensen, who has worked tirelessly for years to document and fight book banning and the destruction of libraries, has a searing piece on how these two things interest, over at Book Riot (CW for mentions of rape, sexual assault, forced prostitution, etc)

    ries

    https://bookriot.com/sexual-assault-awareness-month-book-banning/

    Text from the linked piece: Banning books not only violates the rights of young people to read. It violates their right to safety, as books that explore tough topics like sexual assault and rape help young people to understand that potential abuse might be happening inside their homes. That the biggest threat to their freedoms of life and liberty are those who are closest to them — people they see every day or every week. Perhaps even the very people eager to get those books out of their hands so they remain in the dark.
    ALT
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    • herhandsmyhands OP ,
    @herhandsmyhands@romancelandia.club avatar

    @romancelandia @bookstodon

    Double the in half the time, via BookRiot:
    "PEN’s report confirms that book bans are happening nationwide. The state’s political leanings don’t matter: 42 states, both red and blue, reported book bans in public schools over the three years of PEN’s record keeping."

    https://bookriot.com/pen-americas-latest-book-ban-report/

    herhandsmyhands OP ,
    @herhandsmyhands@romancelandia.club avatar

    @romancelandia @bookstodon

    Via BookRiot: Google is killing its "news" tab--before the election. And because it's the biggest search engine, a monopoly as it were, we are fucked.

    https://bookriot.com/google-is-destroying-your-access-to-news/

    herhandsmyhands OP ,
    @herhandsmyhands@romancelandia.club avatar

    @romancelandia @bookstodon

    A few weeks ago, a school board in Millburn school district 24, in Illinois, voted to end their participation in the Rebecca Caudill awards, declaring the award to be "woke" and "have a political agenda". Since the books are selected by middle school readers--students in the district--you can see the right wing bullshit coming.

    Thanks to enthusiastic community involvement, the board reversed course.

    https://bookriot.com/the-rebecca-caudill-awards-unbanned-by-millburn-school-district-in-suburban-chicago/

    herhandsmyhands OP ,
    @herhandsmyhands@romancelandia.club avatar

    @romancelandia @bookstodon

    You know shit is real when the topic comes up in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42xZB80sZaI

    herhandsmyhands OP ,
    @herhandsmyhands@romancelandia.club avatar

    @romancelandia @bookstodon

    Via @tuphlos, I just found out that Oklahoma's Supreme Court blocked the right wing state from banning books from public schools and penalizing schools who refused to comply with the fascists.

    https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/95271-oklahoma-supreme-court-blocks-state-effort-to-ban-books-from-school-libraries.html

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