The American Library Association joins forces with more than 25 other organisations to fight book bans

CHICAGO, May 10, 2022 — The American Library Association (ALA) and a coalition of more than 25 organisations have joined forces to empower individuals and communities to combat censorship and defend the right to read. The Authors Guild and the American Federation of Teachers have joined the organization’s Unite Against Book Bans campaign to raise awareness about the recent spike in book challenges in public libraries and schools.
“Readers and public workers who give access to reading materials are in perilous times. Readers, especially kids, are losing access to essential knowledge, and librarians and instructors are being targeted for performing their jobs “Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, agreed. “It’s past time for officials to recognise the gravity of the situation. The American Library Association is taking the essential actions to defend people’s access to knowledge, but we can’t do it alone.”