Every committee chair has heard it: “It’s really not that much work!” This is the phrase we’re told when an outgoing chairperson is recruiting new committee leadership. Every incoming chairperson knows it’s a lie, but we tell ourselves it’s true when we say yes. This was certainly the case when my co-chair, Julia Nephew, and I agreed to take on the ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee, but we didn’t anticipate the roller coaster of a year the committee would have!
Category: Blogger Intellectual Freedom Committee
ALSC Intellectual Freedom at ALA 2026
The ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee is thrilled to announce that they are sponsoring a program at ALA Annual this June in Chicago. The topic is “Toxic Exclusion: Banned Authors Share How to Support Children’s Access to Information”. Two authors whose books have been challenged or banned will join me, Julia Nephew, Co-Chair of the ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee. I will be the moderator for what is sure to be an insightful discussion about the repercussions of censorship. Our guest authors are Jess Callans, author of the middle grade novel Ollie in Between, a 2025 Stonewall Honor Book for Children’s Literature, and Kit Rosewater, author of the queer YA romances Buried Feelings and All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey, as well as the Derby Daredevils, an illustrated middle grade series. Kit is the chairperson of the Freedom to Read New Mexico coalition, and advocates in schools and at the state…
Bravery in the Fight Against Censorship
I had the honor a few years ago of serving on the Sydney Taylor Book Award committee, administered by the Association of Jewish Libraries, an affiliate of ALA. Sydney Taylor was the author of the All-of-a-Kind Family and its sequels. The series is about a Jewish family with 5 daughters living in New York in the years leading up to and following World War I. Recently, a colleague reflected on the series: “I loved those books! I had no idea what Shabbat was or what any of the other things they celebrated were but it was such a fun window into another world. They were our generation’s version of American Girl stories.” She saw the value of diverse literature even as a kid; it opened her world to another time, place, and people who were different from her in many ways, but it was exciting to read, laugh, and even…
Continuing the Conversation: Books that Spotlight Book Banning
In January, the ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee posted about using picture books to discuss censorship. This is a timely topic, so we wanted to keep the conversation going and resources flowing. Books on book banning invite children to think about what happens when a book disappears from a bookshelf. These titles would be perfect for reading aloud and discussing how each of us has different beliefs and whether our beliefs should infringe on others. If we continue to ban or reject books, our library and classroom shelves may eventually be empty. Same Page by Elly Swartz (2025). Bess and her friend June become sixth grade class president and vice president. They get the PTO to purchase a book vending machine, but when some books are removed from the machine due to a parent’s complaint, Bess and June’s friendship is on the rocks. The parent is June’s mom. Bess doesn´t understand…
Sneaky Censorship
Sometimes censorship arrives through an anonymous whisper instead of an angry outburst. Unlike soft or self-censorship, which usually refers to a librarian’s actions to remove, limit, or not purchase potentially controversial materials, this type of censorship is practiced predominantly by patrons. In these cases, individuals do not officially voice a complaint about a material or request its removal; instead, they hide or mis-shelve items they disagree with, rearrange displays, damage or destroy materials, or check items out so that certain titles cannot be used by others.
Using Picture Books to Discuss Censorship
While it may be a new year, many of the same old issues surrounding censorship persist. Introducing the concept of challenged or banned books to young children can be difficult. Fortunately, there are books that introduce the issue and can start conversations.
Go Delaware: Another State Steps Up for the Freedom to Read!
As we settle into November, some of us have recently voted in special elections but most of us are gearing up for the mid-term elections in November 2026. This is an ideal time to recognize the politicians in your area, be they building level or legislative, and to continue to develop your relationships with your decision makers and representatives. Most of us know that building partnerships takes time and the job of the advocate is continuous. Happily, sometimes, the representative comes to you. Here is Delaware’s story…
Meet the ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee
It’s a new committee year with new challenges. The ALSC Intellectual Committee is up to the task! Meet the 2025-26 committee members: