Welcome back, library friends. We have a few key censorship and federal administration updates that are worth a closer look. Let’s dive in.
An Update on Censorship In Knox County Schools
After facing significant public backlash, the Knox County (TN) Superintendent said that they are putting Roots back on school shelves after consulting with legal experts. What’s more, the school board passed a resolution calling on the Tennessee General Assembly to amend the state’s Age-Appropriate Materials Act. Specifically, the school board is asking that they be allowed to evaluate books as a whole, rather than by isolated passages, as well as differentiate by grade, since what’s appropriate for a high schooler is vastly different than what’s appropriate for a kindergartner. I can hardly believe that this law was passed without these criteria, but here we are.
University of Nebraska At Kearney Bans Textbook on Human Sexuality
In more censorship news, the University of Nebraska at Kearney has banned a textbook on human sexuality after a student complained that the textbook exposed them to “pornography.” What’s more, an internal investigation found that the textbook did not violate state law, but the university banned it anyway. Jonathan Friedman, the Managing Director of US Free Expression Programs at PEN America, said it best: “College students are mature enough to understand the difference between educational material and pornography…[and] censoring the use of certain textbooks and images will leave students ill prepared for real-life scenarios they will face in careers in medicine or healthcare.”
Check Your Shelf
Sign up to receive Check Your Shelf, the Librarian’s One-Stop Shop For News, Book Lists, And More.
House Bill Would Limit Presidential Appointments for Library of Congress
The House of Representatives passed a bill that would limit the president from appointing the heads of the Library of Congress and the Government Publishing Office, which, if you remember, last year was a Big Deal when Trump fired then-Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. However, the bill would also give the president new power to appoint the Register of Copyrights, which was also a Big Deal last year when Trump fired Sherla Perlmutter, and Perlmutter filed a lawsuit.
Federal Budget Looks to Defund IMLS
It’s a tale as old as time (or at least as old as Trump’s time as president): the proposed federal budget looks to defund the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Publishers Weekly points out that Trump has tried to defund the IMLS in every year of his two administrations, and this latest attempt comes after multiple lawsuits were filed successfully to block Trump’s executive orders against the IMLS in 2025.