PEN America Report Identifies Public Libraries as Censorship Battlegrounds Facing Ideological Pressure
Public libraries across the United States are reaching a breaking point due to mounting political interference, ideological censorship, and harassment of staff. A new report by PEN America, titled Out of Circulation: Expanding Censorship in Public Libraries, details how book bans, funding cuts, and the removal of independent governance are threatening the existence of public libraries as democratic institutions.
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Since 2021, PEN America has tracked nearly 23,000 book bans in school libraries, noting that 51% of all attempted book bans nationwide are occurring in public libraries. The report highlights that censorship disproportionately targets literature featuring trans identified people and people of color, as well as books depicting sexual experiences. Kasey Meehan, the Freedom to Read Director at PEN America, stated that libraries have transitioned from safe havens for the freedom to read into censorship battlegrounds. Philomena Polefrone, senior manager of the Freedom to Read project, noted that the same arguments fueling censorship in schools are also eroding public libraries, robbing users of vital public services and access to information.
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US public libraries at ‘breaking point’ amid ideological attacks, report finds
The Guardian
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Report: Public Libraries Face 'Existential Threat,' Putting Books, Information and People at Risk
pen.org
Paywall and unreadable sources
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Public Libraries Are Suffering As Political Attacks And Censorship Rise, Report Says
Forbes
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'Liberty for all:' Public Libraries and the Promise of America
New Jersey Hills Media Group