We Must Protect School Librarians at All Costs

As book bans continue to be a significant issue in our country, it’s only right that I take a page from President Obama’s playbook and honor the librarians across the nation who are on the frontlines, fighting to maintain our access to books that honor the intersectional identities of all children. In 2023 alone, there have been reports of librarian layoffs and/or proposed school library closings in Texas, Oregon, Virginia, and many other states. We’ve also heard reports of librarians in states like Colorado, New Jersey, and Kansas getting fired and/or facing criminal charges for opposing the book bans in their respective states. According to a report by the School Librarian Investigation - Decline or Evolution? (SLIDE) Project:

Approximately 1,800 full-time school librarians have lost their jobs over the course of the pandemic, and that number continues to grow as I write.

Over the past few years, I’ve had the honor of learning about the brilliance of school librarians and media specialists from phenomenal librarians such as Julia Torres, K.C. Boyd, Sandra Albino, Forrest Evans, Billy Allen, and so many more. These people are more than librarians. They are scholars, activists, keynote speakers, and—most importantly—educators! For far too long, their work has been undervalued and disregarded by too many folx. At a time when children’s books are under attack, we need them more than ever.  

In elementary and middle school, it was a privilege to visit the school library and search through multiple bookshelves to find my favorite books.  The school library was a sanctuary for bookworms and introverts like myself who just wanted to hide from the physical world and find a quiet space to lose ourselves in a book. It was in the school library where I first learned how to be a critical information researcher and developed the essential tools that I would ultimately apply to write multiple thesis papers and essays throughout my college years. The school library wasn’t just a storage room for hundreds of books; it was a classroom like no other!

With social media, AI, and other advanced technologies, too many children lose out on what it’s like to be fully immersed in the unique world of a school library.

With the surge of book banning this country is experiencing (along with ongoing anti-CRT and anti-LGBTQIA legislation) we have a rare opportunity to reverse this trend. 

Learn more about the current state of school librarians and how you can join the fight to defend our children’s right to read books that serve as their mirrors and windows. Here are some resources:

• Check out my past interviews with the following librarians:
  
  
  • Identity Talk 4 Educators LIVE Episode #78 - “Librarians for Social Justice” (K.C. Boyd, Sandra Albino, Forrest Evans).
    
    
  • Identity Talk 4 Educators LIVE Episode #106 - “Liven Up Your Library” (Julia E. Torres). 
    
    
  • Walk That Talk (Instagram Live) - “The State of Black Male Librarianship” with Billy Allen. 
    
    
• Join the Unite Against Book Bans Campaign led by the American Library Association.
  
  
• Support the Books Unbanned program started by the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)  by donating to their cause and/or applying for a free National Teen electronic library card.
  
  
• Contact your local legislators to voice your disapproval about book bans in your city, state, or neighborhood.