Manufactured Panic, Real Consequences: Why Academic Librarians Must Stand with Public and School Libraries

Abstract

Few academic librarians have dealt with challenges to materials in their collections. According to data from the American Library Association (ALA), only 1 percent of challenges occur in college or university libraries. The bulk of challenges—a staggering 89 percent of them—are experienced by our colleagues in public and school libraries. And since 2020, they have seen an unprecedented rise in attempted book bans. The imperative to safeguard the foundational right to exchange ideas, express identities, and embrace diverse perspectives is currently under threat; the time to act is now. Thus far, academic librarians have been privileged to be sheltered from these attacks. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves, advocate for our public and school library colleagues, and partner against book-banning practices.