Libraries

Amanda Jones, a librarian in Livingston Parish, La., pictured on Sept. 13, 2022. Jones is suing members of a Facebook group who harassed her virtually after she spoke against censorship in a public library meeting. Jones received angry emails and even a death threat from people across the country after she filed the lawsuit.
Amanda Jones, a librarian in Livingston Parish, La., is suing members of a Facebook group who harassed her virtually after she spoke against censorship in a public library meeting.
Claire Bangser for Education Week
Law & Courts A School Librarian Pushes Back on Censorship and Gets Death Threats and Online Harassment
Amanda Jones lost her legal battle against online harassers this week but vows to continue to press her case.
Eesha Pendharkar, September 22, 2022
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7 min read
Distressed photograph of an empty card catalogue cabinet
Arkadiusz Warguła/iStock/Getty
Education Funding Opinion Book Bans? My School Doesn’t Even Have a Library
Underfunding schools is its own censorship, writes one Philadelphia public school teacher. After all, they can’t ban books we don’t have.
Lydia Kulina-Washburn, July 26, 2022
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4 min read
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in recent weeks on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Salt Lake City.
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center in Salt Lake City, shows books that have been the subject of complaints from parents this school year.
Rick Bowmer/AP Photo
Curriculum How Social Media Is Shaping Book Ban Debates
Social media utilized to fight against censorship or help those trying to remove books from school libraries.
Alyson Klein, March 14, 2022
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3 min read
Visiting educators tour Hope House in 2016, the shelter and foster home for homeless students that Tiffany Anderson opened as superintendent of the Jennings School District in Missouri. Anderson, now the superintendent of Topeka Public Schools in Kansas, said that educators from around the country reached out about her work in Jennings after she was profiled as a Leader to Learn From in 2015.
Visiting educators tour a shelter and foster home for homeless students that Tiffany Anderson opened while superintendent of the Jennings district in Missouri. Anderson, now the superintendent in Topeka, Kan., said that educators from around the country wanted to learn about her work after she was profiled as a Leader To Learn From in 2015.
Courtesy of Tiffany Anderson
Professional Development 'Ambassadors of Hope': Why Past Leaders Lean on Their Fellow Honorees
Former Leaders To Learn From say they've relied on their fellow honorees for inspiration, support, and new insights during the pandemic.
Sarah Schwartz, February 16, 2022
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7 min read
Melissa Jacobs, the director of library services for the New York City school system, takes a breather at the Murry Bergtraum High School Campus Library.
Melissa Jacobs, the director of library services for the New York City school district, at the Murry Bergtraum High School Campus Library.
Michael Kirby Smith for Education Week
School & District Management Leader To Learn From Reinventing the School Librarian's Role: How a NYC Library Director Adapted to Change
When schools moved online at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, librarians had to learn quickly new ways to support teachers and students.
Sarah D. Sparks, February 16, 2022
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7 min read
People protest outside the offices of the New Mexico Public Education Department's office on Nov. 12, 2021, in Albuquerque. The education department proposed changes to the social studies curriculum that critics describe as a veiled attempt to teach critical race theory. Supporters say the new curriculum, which includes ethnic studies, is "anti-racist."
People protest outside the offices of the New Mexico Public Education Department's office last November in Albuquerque. The education department proposed changes to the social studies curriculum that critics describe as a veiled attempt to teach critical race theory. Supporters say the new curriculum, which includes ethnic studies, is "anti-racist."
Cedar Attanasio/AP
States Here's the Long List of Topics Republicans Want Banned From the Classroom
There are now 61 censorship bills proposed in 24 states. One legislator wants teachers to pay $10,000 for teaching "critical race theory."
Sarah Schwartz & Eesha Pendharkar, February 2, 2022
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12 min read
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents in recent weeks on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Salt Lake City.
Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with books that have been the subject of complaints from parents.
Rick Bowmer/AP Photo
Curriculum Librarians Fight Back Against Efforts to Ban Books in Schools
Book defenders have employed a variety of strategies, including petition drives, protests, and direct pressure on school board members.
David Montgomery, Stateline.org, January 18, 2022
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8 min read
Image of library shelves of books.
mikdam/iStock/Getty
School & District Management Q&A School Libraries and Controversial Books: Tips From the Front Lines
A top school librarian explains how districts can prepare for possible challenges to student reading materials and build trust with parents.
Evie Blad, November 19, 2021
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6 min read
Image of books.
iStock/Getty
Curriculum A 'War on Books': Conservatives Push for Audits of School Libraries
After Texas banned critical race theory in schools, battles grew heated in the conservative suburbs surrounding the state's largest cities.
Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times, November 8, 2021
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12 min read
Curriculum Letter to the Editor Assuaging Technology Fears
To the Editor:
After reading the article "COVID-19 & Remote Learning: How to Make It Work," ("Special Report: How We Go Back to School," July 22, 2020), it looks like school administrators are forgetting the library media specialist again. The article links to a document with six ways educators can help parents with remote learning next school year, but perhaps library media specialists could also provide guidance.
August 18, 2020
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1 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
Getty/Getty
Reading & Literacy As COVID-19 Budget Cuts Loom, Relevance of School Librarians Put to the Test
From California to Pennsylvania, school librarians are on edge as district and school leaders across the country seek ways to cut back expenses amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Cayla Bamberger, Claire Bryan, Jessica Campbell & Anya Schultz, July 1, 2020
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6 min read
In these 2017 photos, students in Noelle Mapes' 3rd grade class complete an audit of the books in their library. They tracked the racial breakdown of the main characters in the stories and determined that they were overwhelmingly white. The exercise is meant to illuminate the lack of diversity in children's literature.
In these 2017 photos, students in Noelle Mapes' 3rd grade class complete an audit of the books in their library. They tracked the racial breakdown of the main characters in the stories and determined that they were overwhelmingly white. The exercise is meant to illuminate the lack of diversity in children's literature.
Noelle Mapes
Reading & Literacy Teachers Push for Books With More Diversity, Fewer Stereotypes
As schools add more books with main characters of color to their shelves, some teachers are going a step further and examining whether those narratives can reinforce biases.
Sarah Schwartz, June 11, 2019
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6 min read
@GunstonLibrary
@GunstonLibrary
Social Studies Photos Teachers Show off their #BlackHistoryBookShelf “Shelfies”
For Black History Month, teachers and librarians send in pictures of the books and resources they use to celebrate the month.
Education Week Photo Staff, March 4, 2019
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1 min read
Two students read together in teacher Justin Minkel's classroom at Jones Elementary School in Springdale, Ark.
Two students read together in teacher Justin Minkel's classroom at Jones Elementary School in Springdale, Ark.
All photos provided by the author
Reading & Literacy Opinion 4 Steps to a Magnificent Classroom Library
Teachers need to look closely at the range of reading levels, experiences, and genres represented in their classroom libraries.
Justin Minkel , June 13, 2018
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6 min read
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