Pages tagged "public library"
Texas Freedom to Read Project Responds to Supreme Court’s Denial in Little v. Llano
Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court chose not to take up Little v. Llano County, allowing the en-banc decision of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to stand. We at Texas Freedom to Read Project are disappointed and gravely concerned about what this means not only for Texans, Mississippians, and Louisianans (those in the Fifth Circuit), but for the future of libraries and the freedom to read across this country.
Read MorePress Release: Texas Freedom to Read Project Responds to Supreme Court’s Denial of Review in Little v. Llano County
The Texas Freedom to Read Project (TXFTRP) is expressing deep concern after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review Little v. Llano County, allowing the Fifth Circuit’s ruling to stand, a decision that significantly weakens First Amendment protections for public-library patrons across America, but especially across Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
The Fifth Circuit held that patrons no longer have the constitutional right to receive information and ideas in the form of library books and the concurring opinion went as far as to embrace the unfounded concept that libraries’ decisions about which books to remove are “government speech.” TXFTRP warns that this logic opens the door for local officials to purge books based on ideology rather than legitimate collection-development practices and turn public libraires into government propaganda centers.
“This decision effectively tells government officials they can remove books simply because they don’t like the ideas in them,” said Laney Hawes, co-founder of TXFTRP. “That is the opposite of what public libraries are meant to be.”
Contrary to claims that the case centered on “sexually explicit” materials, the 17 books removed from Llano County libraries included titles about racism, LGBTQ+ identity, civil rights, and American history, alongside several humorous children’s books. None were obscene.
“When you look at the actual list of books, it’s clear, this isn’t about protecting kids, it’s about controlling the flow of ideas.”said Frank Strong, co-founder. “It is about removing viewpoints some officials find uncomfortable.”
The dissenting judges in the Fifth Circuit underscored this point, warning that the majority’s ruling overturns decades of First Amendment precedent and ignores the political motivations behind the book removals.
“If this ruling stands unchallenged, any group with enough influence can pressure officials to pull books they disagree with,” said Anne Russey, co-founder. “That threatens the intellectual freedom of everyone in America and could be the end of libraries as we know them.”
TXFTRP is calling on communities nationwide to stay engaged and defend their libraries. “We need more Americans willing to show up, join library boards, run for school board, attend council meetings,” Hawes added. “The freedom to read and the future of American libraries depends on ordinary people refusing to let censorship become the norm.”
You can read TXFTRP’s full statement here.
Protect Texas Public Libraries, Stop SB 2101
Senate Bill 2101, will be heard in the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee at 9am on Monday, April 28, 2025. Like its identical companion bill, House Bill 3225, Senate Bill 2101 is what Texas Freedom to Read Project cofounder, Frank Strong, describes as "a screaming red alarm for people who care about books, about the freedom to read, or about libraries."
Read MoreStop House Bill 3225
(Update as of May 5, 2025)- HB 3225 has been put on the calendar to be heard by the full House on Thursday, May 8. Contact your local rep now and ask them to "vote no on HB 3225."
(Update as of April 25, 2025)- the identical Senate Companion Bill 2101 for HB 3225, is scheduled for a committee hearing in Austin on Monday, April 28, 2025 at 9am. Info and calls to action can be found here.
By Frank Strong- originally published on Frank's Substack: Anger & Clarity.
House Bill 3225 will be heard in the Texas House of Representatives State Affairs Committee at 8:00 a.m next Monday, April 14. This is a screaming red alarm for people who care about books, about the freedom to read, or about libraries.
Read MoreMontgomery County Commissioners Court Puts Politics Above Public Interest
After several years of Montgomery County Memorial Public Library and librarians being subjected to slander, doxing and harassment by politicians and activists calling for the restriction and removal of diverse and inclusive books- especially age relevant children's and young adult books that center LGBTQ+ and BIPOC perspectives- the County Commissioners voted to appoint one of their own- the elected County Judge Mark Keough- as the director of the public library system. Judge Keough proceeded to immediately terminate the employment of Montgomery County's library director- Rhea Young.
Read MoreCitizens Review Committee is on the Agenda in Montgomery County Commissioners Court
Guest Blog Post by Montgomery County Library Supporter, Village Books Owner and friend of Texas Freedom to Read Project- Teresa Kenney
The Montgomery County Memorial Library System’s citizens review committee is once again on the Montgomery County Commissioners’ meeting agenda for October 22. We need everyone who is able to come out to court to speak out against the policy or to support those who do.
Read MoreAmerican History from an Indigenous Perspective: Nonfiction or Fiction?
Here at Texas Freedom to Read Project we often feel disappointed and dismayed at the censorship attempts we see across the state, but we rarely feel surprised. However, this week, we learned about an incident that floored us. Thanks to the work of a concerned citizen, we discovered that the Montgomery County Citizens Review Committee (completely void of librarians) has ordered a juvenile nonfiction book- that documents American history from the perspective of the Wampanoag tribe-to be moved from the Juvenile Nonfiction Collection to the Fiction Collection of the Montgomery County Memorial Public Library.
Read MoreLibrary Books are on the Agenda (Again)
Guest Post By Teresa Kenney
The Montgomery County Commissioners’ Court is meeting on the morning of Tuesday, October 8 and on the agenda is a request to revisit the Library Reconsideration Materials Policy. We will once again be in attendance to speak out against the policy—which gives the power of book censorship to five commissioner-court-appointed citizens without librarian oversight or the opportunity for citizen discussion.
If you are able to attend to speak out or show support, we welcome your participation. The court meets at 9:30 a.m. in the Alan B. Sadler Commissioners Court Building, 501 North Thompson, 4th Floor, Suite 402 in Conroe.
Read MoreTexans Fight For the Freedom to Read Corpus Christi Public Library
Those driving this seemingly relentless wave of censorship in Texas defend their actions by claiming restricting and removing books in K-12 public schools is not “a book ban,” but rather necessary to “protect children from obscene and harmful materials” which they dub “pornography.” They claim “No books are being banned. Anyone can still check these books out from their public library. These books just do not belong in schools.” Besides the fact that many of the books they target are not even close to “obscene” or “pornographic,” they are straight up lying.
Read MoreMontgomery County Commissioners Court to Vote on Removal of Librarians From Reconsideration Committees
The Montgomery County Commissioners Court is proposing and voting on a new Reconsideration of Library Materials Policy on March 26, 2024. This proposed policy would strip librarians at the Montgomery County Memorial Library System of their voice—and the community of the librarians’ knowledge and expertise. Moreover, it gives the power to five, commissioner-appointed citizens to dictate which children’s, young adult and parenting books can remain on the library’s shelves.
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