Monthly Archives: April 2023

April 27, 2023 · 5:15 pm

Libraries in the Crosshairs

Last updated April 10, 2024.

Today in the United States, libraries and librarians are labeled by the right-wing as liberal “groomers,” “woke,” and sometimes even pedophiles because of the books in their libraries, the programs they sponsor, and the exhibits they mount. Wow. Who knew? Librarians are being fired, threatened with criminal charges if they refuse to remove banned books (which disproportionately focus on people of color and LGBTQ people), and are receiving death threats and other harassment online, on the phone, and in person. This is also spreading to Canada, although the frequency is significantly less than in the United States for now.

Public and school libraries are the most vulnerable to these attacks but academic libraries are not immune, especially those at public institutions in states pursuing an “anti-woke” agenda. If you are a library worker, librarian, or library administrator, be ready: the day will come – if it hasn’t already – when you will be attacked for abiding by the profession’s principles of inclusion and open access to information and services for everyone. You will be challenged about the books on your shelves and the books that are not on your shelves, for the programs you offer, for your access to meeting rooms, for the gender orientation of your staff, and for the displays that you put up. I faced some of that when I was still a librarian but I was never personally demonized and vilified the way that many librarians are being targeted today.

The articles and videos I’ve linked to below lay out some of what has been happening in the last few years in the United States. Things have gotten so bad that the American Library Association, THE primary professional library organization in the United States and beyond, has started an Adverse Legislation In the States tracker

The following is a partial listing of articles and videos about censorship, book bans, and attacks on libraries. Some links may not be accessible to non-subscribers. When that happens, a Google search will often turn up another article that is freely available to anyone.

On a positive note, I want to highlight the statement by Barack Obama on September 23, 2022 Here’s Why I’m Celebrating Banned Books Week, one of the best statements I have read about the importance of having unfettered access to books.

Why does this matter so much to me? I am a retired librarian, having worked in academic libraries for 46 years, starting as a student assistant at Grinnell College, getting my master’s in 1984, and ending my career as a library dean at a university in Florida. Libraries and librarianship changed a lot in my 46 years working in libraries, but the outside world’s perception of libraries stayed the same – until recently. The outside world considered us boring and safe and, increasingly, irrelevant. I benefitted from this perception dozens of times as I was travelling back and forth between Canada and the United States. Canadian and U.S. border agents would question me about where I was coming from, where I was going, and why I was traveling. As soon as they asked me what I did for a living and I told them I was a librarian, they would lose all interest, stamp my passport, and wave me through. I wonder if that would still be the case today.

Resources to Fight Book Bans, Censorship, and Attacks on Libraries

Last updated April 10, 2024

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April 4, 2023 · 5:43 pm

The Complicity of Silence

On March 31, 2023 Inside Higher Ed published an article entitled  The Silence of Florida’s Presidents and noted that “Of the 40 presidents at Florida’s public colleges and universities, none have publicly challenged DeSantis as he has gone after diversity, equity and inclusion efforts; sought data on health care for transgender students; and pushed HB 999—legislation to remake Florida higher education.”

Inside Higher Ed contacted all 40 presidents at Florida public colleges and universities and asked them to comment on the coming reforms. Of those who even acknowledged the request, not one was willing to be quoted, even when promised anonymity.

The article noted: “Observers suggest presidents are in a no-win scenario, where silence equals compliance but speaking out carries personal and institutional risks.”

Students across the state are speaking out and protesting, and are sometimes being arrested for their efforts. Students, faculty, and others are protesting the destruction of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, the elimination of courses on African American history, the banning of books that a single parent opposes, attacks on academic freedom and tenure, and the violation of the privacy of transgender students.

As Inside Higher Ed notes: “Rather than defending DEI, presidents in the Florida College System released a joint statement in January—prior to the introduction of HB 999—pledging not to “fund or support any institutional practice, policy, or academic requirement that compels belief in critical race theory or related concepts.” Silence is one thing but falling into lockstep with these measures boggles the mind for anyone who has spent their career in academia.

Michael S. Harris, a higher education professor at Southern Methodist University and chair of the Department of Education Policy and Leadership, believes that college presidents have to choose the issues they go to battle on carefully. In the article he notes: “There’s clearly a political fear that if presidents stand up and support the values of their institution, if they contradict the governor and his powerful friends in the Legislature, that their jobs are threatened, which I think is a valid concern, or their institutions are threatened, which is also a valid concern,” Harris said. “But I would argue their silence is not protecting the institution” as there could be “profound long-term implications for Florida’s public institutions if HB 999 passes and becomes state law.”

I have documented in another blog post many examples of retaliation by Governor DeSantis, the Florida Legislature, and his political appointees against anyone who stands up to his policies. Teachers and librarians have been fired, college presidents have been replaced, and administrators charged with DEI have had their contracts terminated. The fear these presidents have of losing their jobs is very real, as is the fear that funding will be cut to any institution that attempts to defy his wishes.

A former Florida college president, who spoke to Inside Higher Ed on the condition of anonymity, said college leaders in Florida are likely “in conflict about how to best protect and steward their institution, their faculty and their students,” given not only personal risks but also the likely political retaliation that would come from state lawmakers if they speak up. Such resistance could be countered with budget cuts or having funds denied for capital projects.”

I retired from working for the state of Florida at a public university in March 2021. I would not be able to be true to my principles and still be employed by the state today. I have colleagues who are retiring imminently, others who have already left the state to work elsewhere, others who expect their jobs to be eliminated as certain topics are banned from the curriculum, and others who are expecting to be fired for just doing their jobs.

What can those of us who are not in Florida do other than just wring our hands and watch in horror what is happening? We can let others know what is going on, we can advocate for our professional organizations to make statements (such as the statement made by the Florida Philosophical Association) opposing what is going on, and we can encourage our professional organizations not to hold any meeting or conferences in the state of Florida while the attacks on education and educators continue. We can also choose to spend our vacation dollars elsewhere. We all have choices and being silent now is complicit.

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