Politics

In St. Joseph, local GOP pressured lawmakers to block approval of gay library board member

The Buchanan County party leader threatened not to allow city council members to run as Republicans if they approved the appointment of a gay pastor to the city’s library board. The controversy has created a push for broader change in St. Joseph.

In St. Joseph, local GOP pressured lawmakers to block approval of gay library board member

“This transgender and homosexual propaganda is pure evil, It is designed to destroy the family, to undercut traditional American values and our way of life, and ultimately institute governmental control that will undermine our city, county, state, and nation.”

August 21, 2023 by Censorship Legal Issues Librarians Libraries Politics Public Libraries

A Warning From the Unpublished Preface to Orwell’s Animal Farm

His Preface, “The Freedom of the Press” was omitted from the first edition of the book, then disappeared, and was not rediscovered until 1971. From it, we learn that Orwell had considerable difficulty getting his fable published. That wasn’t principally because of wartime issues. There was a shortage of books and his was highly readable. Rather, British intellectuals of the day did not wish to hear any criticism of Stalin or allusions to his atrocities…

A Warning From the Unpublished Preface to Orwell’s Animal Farm

And he ends his Preface on a high note,

I know that the English intelligentsia have plenty of reason for their timidity and dishonesty, indeed I know by heart the arguments by which they justify themselves. But at least let us have no more nonsense about defending liberty against Fascism. If liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.

August 15, 2023 by Authors Books Politics Publishing

Book battles are raging nationwide. A WA library could be nation’s first to close

Book battles are raging across the nation, but none have carried the kind of stakes as the one here in Dayton, a one-stoplight farming community in the southeastern corner of Washington.

For the county%u2019s only library, the battle has turned, quite literally, existential: Voters will decide in November whether to shut it down.

The Seattle Times

August 13, 2023 by Books Censorship Librarians Libraries Politics Public Libraries

POLICY BRIEF: Opposing Attempts to Criminalize Librarianship through State Obscenity Laws

https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/opposing_attempts_policy_brief_2023

 

The EverLibrary Institute is releasing a new Policy Brief “Opposing Attempts to Criminalize Libraries and Education Through State Obscenity Laws” to help state library associations anticipate this legislation and prepare properly to oppose unnecessary politicized changes to settled state law.

January 20, 2023 by Legal Issues Librarians Libraries Politics

Central Florida school librarians say new mandated training needs to be redone

School librarians and media specialists across Central Florida have to undergo an hour-long training session to help them understand new rules on what can and can’t be in school libraries.

Those rules came about as part of a wave of legislation that Gov. Ron Desantis said are about more transparency in education. That includes the Parental Rights In Education Act and the governor’s so-called “Stop WOKE” Act.

But some Central Florida media specialists think the training, which has to be completed by July, needs to be redone.

January 14, 2023 by Librarians Libraries Politics School Libraries

Boston Librarians Hold Rally After Workers Harassed By Anti-Mask Protesters

“This is a safe space. It should be a safe space no matter what we face with the mandates in the pandemic,” said librarian Jessica Elias

Librarians in Boston united in solidarity on Saturday, holding a rally to push back after several incidents that they say have disrupted staff and library patrons.

Staff and supporters gathered in front of the main branch in Copley Square in a sign of unity and kindness.

“This is a safe space. It should be a safe space no matter what we face with the mandates in the pandemic,” said librarian Jessica Elias.

 

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/coronavirus/boston-librarians-hold-rally-after-workers-harassed-by-anti-mask-protesters/2649967/

February 21, 2022 by Librarians Libraries Politics Public Libraries

You Purged Racists From Your Website? Great, Now Get to Work | WIRED

Truth needs an advocate and it should come in the form of an enormous flock of librarians descending on Silicon Valley to create the internet we deserve, an information ecosystem that serves the people.The blessing and curse of social media is that it must remain open so we can reap the most benefits; but openness must be tempered with the strong and consistent curation and moderation that these librarians could provide, so that everyone’s voice is protected and amplified.

 

From: https://www.wired.com/story/you-purged-racists-from-your-website-great-now-get-to-work/ You Purged Racists From Your Website? Great, Now Get to Work | WIRED

July 1, 2020 by Internet Libraries Politics Technology

Information Hunters: When Librarians, Soldiers and Spies Banded Together in World War Two Europe 

Information Hunters: When Librarians, Soldiers and Spies Banded Together in World War Two Europe 

In Information Hunters, Kathy Peiss describes American assumptions about German libraries as the Allies closed in on Berlin in 1945. ‘On its face, the military government’s perspective was simple: Nazi books were akin to a virus or infestation. It required quarantine and elimination.’

 

 

From: https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v42/n13/neal-ascherson/warrior-librarians Neal Ascherson · Warrior Librarians: Cultural Pillaging · LRB 2 July 2020

June 28, 2020 by Librarians Libraries Politics

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