Key points

The restriction of information is a warning sign of authoritarian control.

Books on ban lists do not meet the legal definition of obscenity, despite claims.

The moral panics that fuel book bans backfire on society, as they harm individuals caught in their midst.

Children have the right to learn about complex topics within a safe and educational environment.

In a new documentary The Librarians , public librarians are positioned as first responders in the fight for democracy and the First Amendment, despite facing crowds of angry protesters protesting what they see as “obscenity” in books. Alongside educators, librarians find themselves on the front lines of a culture war, facing complaints at school board meetings and harassment that threatens their jobs.

In my work as a

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