BE STRONG! Things to do about Book Banning
Remember, the news is not all bad …
Everywhere they’re trying to take away books, there’s a community speaking for books and kids!
Guess what?
You can help.
Here are some ideas.
Get Involved
Find out the facts about book bans and censorship!
Check out PEN America’s Banned in the USA reports.
Join local groups that are standing up for the freedom to read on
Fight for the First from EveryLibrary
Make sure to visit ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom and the research on banned and challenged books!
Don’t forget about the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the National Coalition Against Censorship.
Want to understand how books are used in the classroom? Check out the organization First Book!
Speak Up
Have conversations with family, friends, coworkers, school board meetings.
FReadom Fighters - How to Help - includes sample letters for writing supportive notes to librarians and other educators - and tips on speaking to a school board meeting!
We Need Diverse Books created Addressing Book Challenges as a flexible guide depending on your role in your community - Parents/Allies, Teachers and Librarians.
Get Ready Stay Ready
Unite Against Book Bans had a guide to attending library and school board meetings!
Know how to talk about the impact of diverse books - check out First Book Research & Insights - Diverse Books Impact Study!
These conversations matter! Remember there's no such thing as a silent ally
Vote!
- Libraries2024 — learn about the issues impacting libraries across the country, get insights into the candidates and issues, then take the Pledge to Vote Libraries in 2024.
- Ballot Ready — offers personalized, nonpartisan information to voters in all 50 states + helps voters make a plan to vote safely.
- FairVote — a nonpartisan organization working for better elections for all.
- Guides.vote — produces nonpartisan voters guides that show where candidates stand. They're produced by veteran journalists with links to credible sources.
- League of Women Voters — engages in advocacy, education, litigation, and organizing to protect every American’s freedom to vote.
- Rock the Vote — uses pop culture, music, art, and technology to engage young people in politics and build their collective power.
Find Your Community - or Several!
Authors, Illustrators and Translators can join Authors Against Book Bans
Spread the word - help social media do some good
Our Favorite Hashtags
#wearestrongerthancensorship
#fightbookbans
#Freadom
Remember the Librarians! And Educators!
Support your local school and public librarians - they are on the front lines.
How?
Have you and your kids write them a thank you note
Tell them you appreciate their work and their standing up for books that are diverse.
Express how diverse books are important to you.
FReadom Fighters - How to Help
Find a good book to READ!
Read a book that's been challenged, banned, or hurt by the chilling effect.
Want to know a book that’s been banned? Check out the PEN America Index of School Book Bans at https://pen.org/2023-banned-book-list/
Consider exploring The Banned Book Club app created by the Digital Public Library of America and The Palace Project.
Or explore the Book Resumes by Unite Against Book Bans!
Don’t forget about the laws!
Legislation does impact book bans – EveryLibrary has a legislation tracker. Know what’s going on in your state and make your opinions about the importance of diverse books known to your elected officials.
Authors Against Book Bans partnered with 5 Calls to write a call script for you to call your representatives about book bans - check it out and make your five calls today to protect the freedom to read!
Do you know about a book ban or challenge in your community?
Make sure all the main organizations fighting book banning know about it: Contact EveryLibrary to get pro bono assistance through the Fight For The First campaign site; Email [email protected] (that's We Are Stronger Than Censorship); fill out the form at https://pen.org/issue/book-bans/ (that's PEN America); send info to the American Library Association; and share with the National Coalition Against Censorship.
Join Us
Help Get Diverse Books into the Hands of Young People through the WE ARE STRONGER THAN CENSORSHIP program!
Sign up for our weekly shopping list of recently banned and challenged books – we have separate shopping lists for children’s books, teen books, and adult books. You can buy the books for yourself, your family, friends, or to donate.
What we’ll do:
The We Are Stronger Than Censorship program will buy 2,000 (or more) books to be donated through multiple regional partners, including the Florida Freedom to Read Project, Texas Freedom to Read Project, Wisconsin Freedom to Read Project, and We Need Diverse Books. Twenty titles whose sales have been impacted by the chilling effect will be selected from twenty participating independent publishers (one title from each publisher), and the program will purchase at least 100 copies of each title for donation.
AND WITH YOUR HELP, WE’LL MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Call to action: Donate, Buy a T-shirt (wear your WE ARE STRONGER THAN CENSORSHIP swag proudly!), sign up for the weekly shopping list of recently challenged and banned books (children’s, teen, adult), Visit one of our partner bookstores, and spread the word. https://www.bonfire.com/store/we-are-stronger-than-censorship/