COOLIES is one of the incredible award-winning books, just like The Diary of a Young Girl, Of Mice and Men, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Gender Queer, The Handmaid's Tale, The Color Purple, The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, Animal Farm, Beloved, The Bluest Eye, I Am Jazz, Lord of the Flies, and many more classic books that have sadly been put on the banned books list. We're standing up against book banning and promoting inclusion and empathy in our country. It's all about keeping our freedom to express ourselves through books and stories. When we read diverse literature, we learn about different people and cultures, which helps us understand and respect each other better. Embracing all kinds of books makes us more compassionate and informed, creating a brighter future for everyone. Let's make sure our voices are heard and that we have a world full of diverse stories to explore and learn from! Sign and share the petition today. Thank you for your support.

Individual citizens are attempting to remove and restrict access to books (particularly titles featuring LGBTQIA characters or themes) at Douglas County Libraries.

Since March, the Saline County Quorum Court has been targeting the Saline County Library for censorship and staff terminations due to their personal objections to books featuring LGBTQ+ characters/themes, people of color, etc. Despite numerous meetings, calls, and emails from citizens in defense of the library and marginalized communities, the Quorum Court is moving forward with an ordinance to strip the library board of its authority, granting Judge Matt Brumley and the Saline County Quorum Court the authority to hire and fire library employees themselves. They have stated that their intent in doing so is to fire the library director and begin relocating/removing books that they deem "obscene." The Quorum Court is risking real legal liability in its big-government campaign to rewrite the law and censor materials in a public library, and we are asking them to vote NO on this proposed ordinance.

The proposed June 2023 policies would limit students' constitutional rights to access information and intellectual freedom. The policy draft does not serve and benefit our students. The policy changes are being rushed through without proper consideration of their impact or consultation with parents, our school librarians, and other educational stakeholders.

In a democratic society, even children have First Amendment rights to freely receive information, and the public library, as a form of government, and except in very limited circumstances, can not impair those rights. Only parents may limit a child's access to information. The HEPL Board of Trustees has written a new Collection Development Policy because some of the trustees and community members have deemed the books inappropriate for minors. The policy will result in approximately HALF of the teen books (and a lesser number of juvenile books) being relocated and intermixed with books in the general collection. This is expected to cost well over $110,000 and is fiscally irresponsible. Furthermore, the policy does not make sense if the Board’s intention is to “protect children,” because now children’s and teens’ books are being relocated from their respective collections to the area of the library where the intended audience is adults. One group of community members should not decide which books are appropriate for all families and therefore be able to influence what information is freely available at the public library. There will always be materials available that some patrons will find objectionable. If parents have concerns about the book selections made by their own children, it is their responsibility to supervise them and help them make choices that reflect their own values. Moving books is censorship and is a slippery slope to book banning. Sign this petition to let HEPL Board of Trustees know that you disagree with the new Collection Development Policy.

We know that Mansfield ISD is not like so many Tarrant County school districts we've been lumped in with. We are diverse in thought, in character, and in practice. Mansfield ISD residents and parents do not want one ideology to rule, but to practice what we preach about being a destination district committed to academic excellence. We don't want Mansfield ISD to devolve into a district known for putting a muzzle on our diversity, but to focus on the wonderful things that make Mansfield ISD great. We also recognize that trustees have many demands for their time and believe the district should rely on the high-educated, qualified librarians to make collection curation decisions that align with the policy goals the board sets forth. The proposed policy rubric takes a narrow value system and forces it upon our community, taking away parental rights.

Parents should be allowed to decide what their kids can read and librarians should not be threatened by criminal charges from extremists. Sign the petition to protect our libraries and our liberty.

Reading is a foundational skill, and an informed electorate is the bedrock of our democracy. That is why our founders established the First Amendment right of free speech, which enables us to speak, publish, read and view what we wish so that we can understand all sides of an issue and make our own judgments. Since 2021, though, extremists operating under the banner of "parents rights" have attempted to restrict access to include only topics, authors and content that match their narrow world view. In what amounts to an intellectual insurrection, they are trampling on the First Amendment rights of children, parents, and families who experience the world differently, especially those from the BIPOC and LGBTQIA communities. Sign this petition to join the chorus of mainstream voices reminding decision-makers that FREE PEOPLE READ FREELY.

Please join us as we fight the ever escalating culture war against those who limit our liberty to choose and own reading material, and parent our own children in Idaho. If we don't stand up to these challenges, we will live in a state where politicians will determine what is in school and public libraries. This will have a devastating impact not only in our fiction collections, but also in the arts, sciences, and religious library collections. Sign this petition and join a team of citizens advocating for uncensored reading, academic freedom, and full access to school and public libraries in North Central Idaho.

Bucks County has a proud tradition of writers and free thinkers. From Pearl S. Buck to Margaret Mead and from Oscar Hammerstein to James Michener. These policies go against the values of our proud community.

Reading and literacy is so important. Many families and individuals can’t afford books. They are so expensive these days. I would hate for any child or adult be deprived of books. They build intelligence, and imagination.

The proposed changes are a direct violation of the constitutional right for students to have access to a wide range of age appropriate reading materials.