A Message to the Spanish Fort Library Board: At your most recent April 21st meeting, you discussed your intent to implement policy changes that would censor books that are vital to the Spanish Fort community. This proposed unconstitutional policy would restrict materials for minors involving “sexual orientation, gender identity, and sexual ethics,” including even materials for teens that cover the topic of sexual assault.  In your discussion, the board made clear that they believe moving these materials to age-restricted sections of the library does not constitute censorship; the courts have proven this is incorrect. • PEN America v. Escambia County School Board (Florida, 2024): In this ongoing case, U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II ruled that the First Amendment prohibits the school board from restricting over 160 titles based on LGBTQ and racial themes.  • Board of Education v. Pico (U.S. Supreme Court, 1982): This landmark case established that school boards cannot restrict books simply because they disagree with the ideas contained within them. The Supreme Court ruled that such access violates First Amendment rights to access information and ideas.  • Counts v. Cedarville School District (Arkansas, 2003): In this case, a federal judge ruled that restricting access to “Harry Potter” by requiring parental permission was unconstitutional due to the restriction being based on objections to the books themes (witchcraft and the occult) rather than legitimate educational concerns, violating the First Amendment. • Read Freely Alabama v. Autauga-Prattville Public Library Board of Trustees (Alabama, 2024): In this ongoing case, Read Freely Alabama, The Alabama Library Association and local patrons filed a federal lawsuit in the Middle District of Alabama, the plaintiffs argue that the library’s policies violate the First Amendment by restricting access to constitutionally protected materials based on content and viewpoint, and are unconstitutionally vague, infringing on the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, leading to arbitrary enforcement. The plaintiffs contend that the policies disproportionately infringe on LGBTQ content and other materials.  For all of these reasons, we urge you to reconsider this policy change and uphold the constitutional rights of all Spanish Fort residents, as those rights are not subject to compromise. PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE IF YOU AGREE!  Sign this petition to send a message to the Spanish Fort (AL) Library Board and tell them to stop these unconstitutional policy changes that harm marginalized children and their families!

Following a national extremist anti-library playbook the BOS has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to eliminate our Library and replace it with a privatized library that they can control. The BOS knows that the County doesn't own the assets of Samuels Public Library (books, computers, equipment), and that starting a new, privatized library from scratch will cost millions of dollars. This is a reckless plan, that will waste taxpayer dollars. In an attempt to control the library, and the freedom of Warren County residents to make their own decisions for themselves and their families, the BOS continues to smear library management and staff, and appointed people to the Warren County Library Board who answer only to the BOS, not to the community. We must protect the integrity of Samuels Public Library and its structure that has honorably and effectively served our community for over 200 years.     Let Your Voice Be Heard By Signing The Petition! Tell the Warren County Board of Supervisors to STOP ATTACKING OUR LIBRARY!  WITHDRAW the RFP and Fully Fund Samuels Public Library! PS: Let Your Voice Be Heard!  Your Dollars Matter!  Please consider Donating! A Tax Deductible Donation can be made through:  https://www.fundlibraries.org/campaign/245/samuels-under-siege-fight-back-now Literary Defense Network

In February 2024, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) passed Resolution 24-12. Through this resolution, the Commissioners took power away from the Library Board of Trustees and gave themselves sole power to select library trustees who align with their extreme views and support of censorship. This resolution was passed with no notice or opportunity for public input. Protect Our GarCo Libraries, a group of concerned community members, is working to maintain the integrity of our libraries, ensure that they are governed in a nonpartisan manner, and prevent book banning.  We call on the Library Board of Trustees and the BOCC to protect and preserve the nonpartisan values of our public library, and ensure that everyone has access to a range of materials that meet the wide variety of interests and needs of Garfield County residents. Please sign and share this petition if you agree.

Books that have been in our libraries for generations are being targeted, for seemingly no reason or at least no legal reason. The Georgetown Independent School District picked books that they have deemed inappropriate and are trying to take them from students. Mrs. Cooper spoke up for her students and in return may loose her job. We need to keep books, education, and our amazing librarian safe.

This is not a political issue- Democrats and Republicans alike want libraries!  Reading, and teaching our next generation to appreciate books is how we have advanced through each of the information explosions of the centuries.  We cannot let this tiny red schoolhouse library fall by the wayside. If you agree, please sign and share this petition today!

As residents of Pinellas County Florida, we trust the staff at the Palm Harbor Library to provide access to books, materials, displays and programming. We want our children to have access to displays and materials that will prepare them to learn about the world around them. We believe that parents should have the final decision as to what their children read and access. Pinellas County Commissioners should not Censor and Control what Palm Harbor residents access in their library. Politicians should not push their own agendas and instead should listen to the voice of the people they serve. Please sign and share this petition if you agree.

YOUR RIGHTS to freedom of expression, choice, and access to information, free of censorship, are under attack. Help us fight censorship and protect libraries from attack by keeping citizens of Lapeer informed of everything happening and actions they can take. Demand our local officials protect our freedoms. Show up and demonstrate how strongly our community supports Constitutional freedoms. We are dedicated to preserving Americans’ freedom to choose what we read. Join our anti-censorship, pro-library work and TAKE ACTION. To the Lapeer District Library Board and the Lapeer County Board of Commissioners:  We, the undersigned, want our Lapeer District Library (LDL) to continue to provide patrons access to the information they need, free of censorship. To this end, we demand that 1) Trustees be appointed to the LDL Board who will uphold their oath to the Constitution and 2) that LDL Trustees make decisions regarding library policies and collections that are in keeping with library law and the 1st and 14th Amendments. 

The St. Francis Area Schools Board of Education must end its mandate that the library use BookLooks.org, an anonymous website designed to target books with diverse viewpoints. Parents, students, and teachers deserve to have materials on the shelves that have been transparently vetted and reviewed by credible resources and publications, not shady websites with thinly-veiled political goals. Library collection policies should require that professional librarians use credible review sources to build strong collections materials that support the learning and growth of all students. BookLooks, by contrast, requires no credentials, is not transparent in naming reviewers, and has no editorial standards. Its anonymous members regularly rate important and valuable literary works as controversial or objectionable based on their discriminatory viewpoint. Sign the petition and tell the St. Francis Area Schools Board of Education to stop mandating the use of BookLooks in their libraries!

The Warren County Library Commission must end its promotion of BookLooks.org, an anonymous website designed to target books with diverse viewpoints, and any sites like it. Parents deserve credible resources from trained professionals, not unvetted sources. Endorsing BookLooks and similar websites compromises our library's integrity and parents' right to reliable information about books for their children. Our libraries already provide credible reviews through databases like NoveList and resources like Kirkus Reviews. Sites like BookLooks require no professional credentials, have no named reviewers, and follow no editorial standard. Its anonymous members routinely flag important literary works, especially those covering topics of sexuality, race, religion, or history, as controversial or objectionable. At multiple public meetings, dozens of community members objected to BookLooks and similar sites, but the Library Commission ignored concerned taxpayers and pushed forward despite overwhelming opposition. Sign this petition if you believe Warren County Public Libraries should remove BookLooks.org from its list of endorsed resources for patrons and recommend only vetted, transparent book review websites.

On Thursday, February 27th, despite full support of the greater community and everyone of the 600+ in the room, the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) School Board was tone deaf to the pleas of our students, ignored them, talked over them, and voted to eliminate ALL Teacher Librarians. Their baseless justifications are for budgetary reasons, but see the facts for yourself at Grossmont Education Association. Impacted sites include:  Grossmont, El Cajon Valley, Mount Miguel, El Capitan, Granite Hills, Monte Vista, Santana, Valhalla, and West Hills. Teacher Librarians provide essential services to students and staff that are irreplaceable. Cutting these positions will hurt our students, the quality of their learning experiences, and the thriving communities that our properly staffed school libraries support. We urge our school board members to genuinely listen to their constituents and reverse their cuts to Teacher Librarian positions. Sign and share this petition now to protect our librarians and ensure students continue to receive the resources and support they need!

We support reading freedom in New Mexico. We oppose book bans. Everyone deserves to share their culture through books. Freedom of speech includes the freedom to read. Book bans limit reading choice by removing or hiding books. A few people shouldn't decide what everyone else can read. Book bans are often prejudiced too. Schools and libraries are for learning. Our world is both great and difficult. We can all learn so much about it through the safety of the pages of a book.

We must protect the library that we know and love. Samuels is the place we went to growing up and now take our kids. We want it to be there for our grandkids. It has a legacy in this community. This library and the staff have stood up for our first amendment rights and it is our time to stand up for them.  We have to tell these Supervisors that this is not want Warren County voters want.