The National Book Awards Finalists are Here

Fighting for access to books for North Carolina children

I’m a North Carolina resident and parent, so this is close to home. carolina public press We reported on the fight against books in the state following the passage of House Bill 805. The bill began as a bill setting guidelines to protect people whose explicit content is posted on pornographic websites, but in addition to banning access to gender reassignment care in prisons, the bill would compel the creation of an infrastructure that would allow parents to create a list of books and materials that their children are prohibited from accessing, as well as a searchable database of library books available to schools. Of course, Moms for Liberty is involved in creating these obstacles for children who want access to books and for teachers and school librarians to do their jobs. In my county, a database of books deemed “inappropriate” lists George M. Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” Toni Morrison’s “Beloved Poets,” and Elizabeth Acevedo’s “Poet This is a wide-ranging and upsetting read, and serves as a new window into what’s happening in schools and libraries across the country.

Major library distribution company to close its doors

The largest distributor of U.S. libraries is shutting down. This follows the failed acquisition of Baker & Taylor by leading distributor ReaderLink. B&T CEO Aman Kochhar said that without an acquisition, the company, which has already laid off more than 500 employees, could not find a financially viable solution. This news left many publishers and librarians in confusion. While the deal was still pending, publishers were unsure whether outstanding invoices would be paid, and publishers and librarians alike were anxious about the fate of distribution through B&T. Publishers Weekly It has been reported that there has been little contact from B&T since the end of the contract. What a mess.

As book bans and attacks on Americans’ First Amendment rights continue, so too do lawsuits aimed at stopping these actions. Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina filed a lawsuit against State Superintendent Ellen Weaver for unjustified book bans under Rule 43-170 and the 2025 Classroom Censorship Memo. This application was filed on behalf of the South Carolina School Library Association and three public school students under the age of 18. You can read the full application here.