Subtitle: The Fight Against Book Banning in America

Publication Date: August 27, 2024

I’m a retired librarian, one of thousands. And also a STRONG opponent of book banning and censorship, among other current threats to liberty and democracy these days. As a librarian, I dealt with my share of challenges, complaints, etc, but I never dealt with a fraction of the abuse heaped on a small town librarian from Louisiana named Amanda Jones. 

In 2022, a local public hearing to look into “book content” was held in her town. It was one of the tons of attacks on the freedom to read dealt with by schools and libraries across the U.S. in recent years. The complaints deal with books discussing racism, LGBTQ+ issues, gender, and other topics. Parents, concerned citizens, and wackos were vocal (and worse) in their challenges. Amanda chose to speak up at that meeting, never guessing at the nightmare ahead of her as a result. 

One of the things small town librarian Amanda Jones values most about books is how they can affirm a young person’s sense of self. So in 2022, when she caught wind of a local public hearing that would discuss “book content,” she knew what was at stake. Schools and libraries nationwide have been bombarded by demands for books with LGTBQ+ references, discussions of racism, and more to be purged from the shelves. Amanda would be damned if her community were to ban stories representing minority groups. She spoke out that night at the meeting. Days later, she woke up to a nightmare that is still ongoing.

Since that meeting, Amanda “has been called a groomer, a pedo, and a porn-pusher; she has faced death threats and attacks from strangers and friends alike. Her decision to support a collection of books with diverse perspectives made her a target for extremists using book banning campaigns-funded by dark money organizations and advanced by hard right politicians-in a crusade to make America more white, straight, and “Christian.” “

I’m impressed by her courage as much as I am outraged by the events that led up to it. Her book, That Librarian:The Fight Against Book Banning in America, should be required reading for librarians, teachers, school boards, parents, and anyone even remotely interested in the challenges to our democracy playing out in the country today. Five stars, and thanks to Bloomsbuy Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for this honest review.