What are some words you’d use to describe your local librarian?
Quiet? Unassuming? Determined? Sympathetic? Helpful? Kind?
How about undaunted, exhausted, afraid, and courageous?
The award-winning documentary, The Librarians, sheds light on the challenges that library workers face as “first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights.”
This groundbreaking film draws back the curtain as viewers follow librarians across the country facing unprecedented challenges to the freedom to read and learn. As centers of democracy, civic life, and community, libraries often do this important work quietly without fanfare, especially to protect their patrons’ privacy, but these librarians show the importance of getting loud to support libraries and intellectual freedom. This film has resonated with audiences across the world, screened for sold out crowds, won over 22 film festival awards, and inspired viewers to take action. As film participant and past president of the American Association of School Librarians Becky Calzada shared: “We’re not just telling stories, we’re inviting the world in. We’re calling on stakeholders to actively champion school libraries, to recognize their role in upholding democracy and intellectual freedom. Let’s carry forward this shared momentum and remember never to underestimate the impact of even the smallest acts of courage in igniting lasting change.”
You can see the newest trailer here.
On February 9, The Librarians aired on PBS as part of Independent Lens. It is available to stream on PBS.org and the PBS app. With Library Lovers Day happening on February 14, what better time to show your library love by watching this film now.
This film offers a powerful catalyst for conversations and reflection. Here are some questions to consider before and after watching it:
What are some of your memories of libraries or librarians? What was it like? How did it make you feel? Who did you interact with there?
How has reading made you feel more connected to your community, or to other people beyond yourself?
What surprised you most from seeing the stories of the librarians in this film? Which specific stories do you think will stay with you now that you’ve watched the film? What questions do you have about libraries?
Curious to explore more media and stories about libraries, library workers, and the freedom to read? Look to your library for excellent recommendations!
Nonfiction
A diverse cast of visionary teenagers, stirring public protests, private threats, criminal charges, and drama-filled school board meetings: this is the explosive world of BANNED TOGETHER. The film pulls back the curtain on two of the most controversial issues in America today: book bans and curriculum censorship in public schools. Watch Banned Together on Kanopy using your library card.
That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America by Amanda Jones
Mapping the book banning crisis occurring all across the nation, That Librarian draws the battle lines in the war against intellectual freedom, calling book lovers everywhere to rise in defense of our readers.
On Censorship: A Public Librarian Examines Cancel Culture in the US by James LaRue
In America, censorship surges in periods of demographic and political change. Its primary purpose is to silence challenges to an established elite or norm. Today, censorship is part of a larger assault on such American institutions as schools, public libraries, and universities, the better to establish more control over the people--while also pilfering their wallets. In this concise look at censorship, author James LaRue explores the topic through a librarian's lens. Using humor, reason, and intelligence, he builds a case against censorship as he recounts stories from his experience as a librarian confronting book banning, while also casting a wider net to encompass larger issues of censorship.
A Kids Book about Banned Books by National Coalition against Censorship
Every day in schools across the country books are challenged for telling stories, centering characters, and tackling topics that feel uncomfortable for some people. This book explains what book banning is and helps to start a conversation about how reading and having access to new information and ideas makes us stop, think, and grow!
Fiction
This Book Won’t Burn by Samira Ahmed
“After her dad abruptly abandons her family and her mom moves them a million miles from their Chicago home, Noor Khan is forced to start the last quarter of her senior year at a new school, away from everything and everyone she knows and loves. Reeling from being uprooted and deserted, Noor is certain the key to survival is to keep her head down and make it to graduation. But things aren't so simple. At school, Noor discovers hundreds of books have been labeled "obscene" or "pornographic" and are being removed from the library in accordance with a new school board policy. Even worse, virtually all the banned books are by queer and BIPOC authors. Noor can't sit back and do nothing, because that goes against everything she believes in, but challenging the status quo just might put a target on her back. Can she effect change by speaking up? Or will small-town politics--and small-town love--be her downfall?”
Wake Now in the Fire: A Graphic Novel by Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by AJ Dungo
Told from multiple perspectives, based on extensive interviews with the real-life students and teachers who were affected, and written by the librarian who exposed key information about the Chicago Public Schools censorship decision, Wake Now in the Fire is a fictionalized account of a true event that galvanized a community. With illustrations by Alex Award-winner AJ Dungo that perfectly capture the everyday joys, heartbreak, and stresses of high school, this graphic novel is an inspiring portrayal of student activism taking on one of the most urgent issues of our time, and a passionate reminder of why protecting the books we love matters.
The Day the Books Disappeared by Joanna Ho and Caroline Kusin Pritchard, illustrated by Dan Santat
In an attempt to share his love of airplanes with his classmates, Arnold accidentally wishes away all the books in his classroom until he learns that everyone's individual interests bring them joy.