If you believe that:
1) Reading is critical to democracy.
2) Books help us understand complex issues.
3) Parents shouldn't make decisions for other parents' children.
4) Youth deserve to see themselves in books.
Join the campaign &
#UniteAgainstBookBans
:
“Kids need different kinds of books. Sometimes they need to find themselves in books. That’s not necessarily a book for everyone, but it’s a book for that person. Books can save lives, I know this for a fact.”
@judyblume
@PageSix
#UniteAgainstBookBans
.
@judyblume
encourages us to
#UniteAgainstBookBans
.
"I stand with librarians everywhere... to ensure that ALL of us have access to see ourselves & our experiences reflected in books... But we need YOU to join us."
Raise your voice for the
#RightToRead
:
"I do think that, as a parent, you have every right to decide what your kid can and cannot read... But you don't have the right to tell me what my kid can read." —
@JerryCraft
@NPR
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Judy Blume on the powerful impact of librarians & books: "I’ve known librarians who have saved lives by handing the right book to the right child at the right time. & for that one kid, finding themselves in a book can be a lifesaver."
#UniteAgainstBookBans
It's
#RightToReadDay
—and the one-year anniversary since the launch of the
#UniteAgainstBookBans
campaign.
Join us today, and beyond, by taking these actions and more to defend, protect, and celebrate the right to read freely in your community:
The 1,269 attempted book bans in 2022 SHATTERED 2021's records.
Here's what you can do to help:
✅ Join the
#UniteAgainstBookBans
campaign
✅ Call your representative
✅ Report censorship
✅ Use the UABB Action Toolkit
✅ Share the 2022 book bans stats
👏 Maine residents spoke out to successfully
#UniteAgainstBookBans
! Empower your own community to raise their voices in support of the freedom to read by sharing the talking points in our Action Toolkit:
"The government cannot tell citizens what they can or can’t read. Our nation was founded on the free exchange of ideas, and banning books you disagree with is a direct attack on our most basic liberties.” — Attorney Ellen Leonida
@CNN
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Bans come from a vocal minority. 82% of voters believe we need to protect the ability of young people to have access to books from which they can learn about and understand different perspectives and help them grow into adults who can think for themselves.
Teens
#UniteAgainstBookBans
: “These books give us a really wide perspective of all different types of people, different races, different genders. They really broaden our view of the world. They make us more inclusive and make us more empathetic.” —Alyssa H
.
@judyblume
rallied the crowd to
#UniteAgainstBookBans
at
#ALAAC23
’s opening session: “We’re all there and we are not gonna let this happen. We’re gonna fight, fight, fight, fight!”
Library advocates across the country are gearing up for
#RightToReadDay
tomorrow! How are you taking action?
Katherine S. from
@GCLibraryAllies
is checking out books that are at risk of being challenged - every check-out helps! More ways to take action:
#BannedBooksWeek
is here! Our Honorary Chair, the inimitable
@levarburton
, is ready to take action - are you? Join us in supporting library workers, educators, authors, and readers everywhere on Let Freedom Read Day, October 7!
#LetFreedomRead
If you believe that:
1) Reading is critical to democracy.
2) Books help us understand complex issues.
3) Parents shouldn't make decisions for other parents' children.
4) Youth deserve to see themselves in books.
Join the campaign &
#UniteAgainstBookBans
:
Thank you to library workers everywhere for supporting the right to read.
You are the reason libraries work, and why voters and parents view libraries so favorably:
Support them on
#NLWD23
& every day, and
#UniteAgainstBookBans
:
📚 October 4! Join
@johngreen
,
@MikeCurato
,
@FReadomFighters
's Becky Calzada and
#BannedBooksWeek
Youth Honorary Chair Da’Taeveyon Daniels for a conversation about the impact of book bans and the ways they've taken action to fight censorship. Register:
If you believe that:
1) Reading is critical to democracy.
2) Books help us understand complex issues.
3) Parents shouldn't make decisions for other parents' children.
4) Youth deserve to see themselves in books.
Join the campaign &
#UniteAgainstBookBans
:
To Llano County commissioners who want to close their public library, banning books is more important than serving communities. We stand with library workers & library users in Llano and have activated 100s of local folks to contact commissioners & attend Thursday's meeting.
If you believe that:
1) Reading is critical to democracy.
2) Books help us understand complex issues.
3) Parents shouldn't make decisions for other parents' children.
4) Youth deserve to see themselves in books.
Join the campaign &
#UniteAgainstBookBans
:
Young people deserve to see themselves reflected in a library's books.
When children and youth have access to books that reflect their personal life experiences, they are Empowered by Reading:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
"Some adults have decided that their comfort is more important than a young person seeing themselves in a book."
@angiecthomas
speaking about book censorship at the 31st Annual Authors Guild Foundation Gala.
If you believe that:
1) Reading is critical to democracy.
2) Books help us understand complex issues.
3) Parents shouldn't make decisions for other parents' children.
4) Youth deserve to see themselves in books.
Join the campaign &
#UniteAgainstBookBans
:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
stands w/the administration’s efforts to protect the stories & lives of LGBTQIA+ persons:
The
#RightToRead
is not a red or blue issue - Americans across the political spectrum oppose book bans. Take action:
Books are lifesaving.
Research shows that when schools offer inclusive reading materials, LGBTQ+ students report feeling safer and better mental health.
When provided with a wide variety of books, youth are Empowered by Reading:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
New research released by
#UniteAgainstBookBans
partner
@FirstBook
this week confirms again what educators, library workers, students, parents, & authors have long known: diverse reading materials lead to better student outcomes.
More from
@KyleFirstBook
:
Monday (4/24) is
#RightToReadDay
.
How can you take action?
✅ Read a challenged book
✅ Attend a library or school board meeting
✅ Write a letter
✅ Report censorship
✅ Join the UABB campaign
More actions at:
#NationalLibraryWeek
#UniteAgainstBookBans
As far-right groups attempt to censor books & even shut down libraries, it's the students & patrons who are losing out on opportunities to learn & grow at the library.
If you believe in the freedom to read, join us & take action to
#UniteAgainstBookBans
:
Movements seeking to ban books with LGBTQ or racial justice themes have picked up steam in red states around the country. Pro-censorship groups have sprung up at local and national levels, pioneered by an outfit with the Orwellian name Moms for Liberty.
"Because these parents didn’t care for this book, they believe they should have the authority to impose their taste and sensibilities on an entire community. That’s not parents’ rights. That’s censorship." — Allen Johnson
@JournalNow
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Standing up for the right to read can feel daunting. But without your voice, there may be no one standing between book bans and your community.
Make a plan and make your voice heard - attend a library or school board meeting:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
"We know that stories are powerful & can shape our lives, open our eyes, & change the world, but unlike advocates of book banning, we believe that’s a good thing & that people have the right to choose for themselves." —
#UniteAgainstBookBans
partner
@nypl
With attempts to ban books set to exceed 2021's unprecedented high, this
#BannedBooksWeek
, it's more important than ever to
#UniteAgainstBookBans
. Take action at .
“Grandparents are the perfect people to push back against the tide of censorship... they have a stake in building the world their grandchildren will inherit.”
More on
#UniteAgainstBookBans
partner
@peoplefor
’s new
#GrandparentsForTruth
campaign:
Next week 6/22 @
#ALAAC23
! Join us @ Rally for the Right to Read: Uniting for Libraries & Intellectual Freedom- featuring renowned author
@DrIbram
, anti-censorship activists & 2023 recipients of ALA intellectual freedom awards.
Info:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
"Our books, the books that are being banned—these books are like the glasses my daughter and I wear. Just like when I looked at a tree and saw every leaf, these books help kids look at their community and see every human." —
@pacylin
#UniteAgainstBookBans
"It was a choice. Book bans are about removing that choice."
Individuals should NOT be dictating what books readers or other people's children are allowed to read. Protect your right to read freely at: .
#UniteAgainstBookBans
The
#RightToRead
is on the ballot in many states tomorrow.
Be prepared to VOTE and encourage others to take action at the polls. Use the resources in our
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Voting Checklist: .
70 years ago today, libraries & library workers, publishers & authors, all joined together to affirm Americans'
#FreedomToRead
.
Decades later, we still trust them to make their own decisions. Join us & sign this historic statement:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
We agree with President
@BarackObama
: everyone loses when books are banned. It's time for all of us to
#UniteAgainstBookBans
.
How can you take action? Check out our latest blog post for inspiration & tips:
"Parents don’t want a situation where the most upset parent determines what other children learn or what books are in the school library.” —
@EJDionne
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Individuals should be trusted to make their own decisions about what to read. That’s why 26 national organizations have joined forces to
#UniteAgainstBookBans
: . But we can't do it alone. Want to defeat book bans? Sign your name: .
Every day is
#RightToReadDay
.
Take action and defend the freedom to read, every day of the year:
✅ Read a challenged book
✅ Attend a library or school board meeting
✅ Write a letter
✅ Report censorship
✅ Join the
#UniteAgainstBookBans
campaign
Removing and banning books is an erosion of our country's commitment to freedom of expression, as
#UniteAgainstBookBans
partner
@TheFireOrg
's new billboard campaign reminds us:
With elections approaching, now is the time to get informed: the right to read is on the ballot.
Use our
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Voting Checklist to learn about your school & library board candidates & find out where they stand on the right to read:
Success! Wellington's town board passed a resolution that prevents the board from restricting access to library materials: Download our template resolution to make a statement against bans in your community:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
The freedom to read is under attack. Let’s do something about it.
We’re taking action to defend the right to read on
#LetFreedomReadDay
. Whether you have 5 minutes or all day, take at least one action today & beyond:
#BannedBooksWeek
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Limiting access to books does not protect young people from the complex and challenging world that confronts them. Books are tools for developing literacy and critical thinking skills, as well as for building empathy, respect, and mutual understanding.
"Banning books won’t help kids become confident, joyful readers," writes
@AFTunion
's
@rweingarten
.
AFT's Reading Opens the World has provided free books in 100s of communities, opening up new worlds for students nationwide:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
We've said it before, and we'll say it again: a small group of parents (or even just one!) does not get to decide what other people's children read.
#UniteAgainstBookBans
"Parents have a right to say they don’t want their own children reading certain books..But here’s the problem..They are depriving other families of precisely the rights they claim for themselves — deciding what their children read & learn." Steven Roberts
The number of unique titles targeted in 2022 increased by 38%, many of which are by or about the LGBQTIA+ community or people of color.
But providing youth w/books in which they can see themselves benefits them & their communities:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
"The vast majority of folks in this country know that we should not be banning books... I think that unfortunately, the minority is much louder than the majority. And so we all really need to take a stand." —
@JodiPicoult
@abc
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Join us on June 22 for Rally for the Right to Read: Uniting for Libraries & Intellectual Freedom - featuring renowned author
@DrIbram
, anti-censorship activists, & 2023 recipients of ALA intellectual freedom awards!
Info:
#ALAAC23
#UniteAgainstBookBans
“…many of our nation's children will not be able to access books that are removed. Millions of our families can't afford to buy books. Countless families live in library deserts — areas w/o a reachable public library.”
@halseanderson
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Join us on November 8 for Book Banning in the US and the Positive Impact of Diverse Books: What New Data Tells Us. Learn about the 2023 preliminary book ban data from
@OIF
, a new study from
@FirstBook
, and how we can all
#UniteAgainstBookBans
.
Register:
What's lost when libraries are defunded or closed by censors? Not just books! Libraries are community resources for job hunters, small businesses, and more.
#TheresMoreToTheStory
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Public libraries across the country do more than lend books. They’re a community lifeline, providing dozens of social services to the public, including disaster assistance, telehealth access, tutoring and job guidance.
@Marketplace
#NationalLibraryWeek
"[Book bans] kind of [tell] those students that their experience not only doesn’t matter, it’s not allowed. A lot of the students who we have spoken to have said that it’s been [...] hurtful to be basically told that their life experience is invalidated."
If you believe that:
1) Reading is critical to democracy.
2) Books help us understand complex issues.
3) Parents shouldn't make decisions for other parents' children.
4) Youth deserve to see themselves in books.
Join the campaign &
#UniteAgainstBookBans
:
“Why can’t we have our own mind — our own voice?” — High school student, Favor Gabriel We can trust individuals to make their own decisions about what they read and believe.
#UniteAgainstBookBans
@MeredithWillse
@yorkdispatch
This is the HIGHEST number of attempted book bans
@ALALibrary
has documented. Be prepared: use your vote to protect the right to read in upcoming elections in your community:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Large majorities of voters across the political spectrum oppose efforts to remove books from public libraries—and school libraries, too:
Join the campaign and
#UniteAgainstBookBans
: .
#BannedBooks
When you aren't there to stand up for the right to read, who is?
Join the campaign and make your voice heard. Use our guide to attend school & library board meetings and make it clear: banning books is NEVER a solution.
More:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
NEW preliminary book ban data from
@OIF
: 3,923 titles were challenged during the first eight months of 2023.
The number will only continue to climb if we don't raise our voices and
#UniteAgainstBookBans
:
Don't think book bans can happen in your community? Think again.
No one expected book bans to come to Llano County, TX. But when they did, endangering the future of the local public library, the community stood up for the freedom to read and won:
"We who value and defend books don’t do it because we love books... We defend books because by doing so, we defend all the kids who are represented in those books." —
@loversdiction
(David Levithan)
(Paywalled)
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Attending library board, school board, & city council meetings is one of the most critical actions you can take to fight book bans.
#UniteAgainstBookBans
partner
@pflag
created a helpful guide for speaking at meetings that we adapted to focus on book bans:
"It’s vitally important for kids of every type to be able to see themselves as protagonists of books. The harm done to a child who’s not being reflected in literature is self-evident."
@wimpykid
#UniteAgainstBookBans
@abmack33
speaks on the importance of assisting fellow library workers across library types, encouraging public librarians to speak at school board meetings on behalf of school librarians, for example. “We are all better together. We cannot do this individually.”
Are books being challenged or banned in your community? You don't have to go it alone. Use
@ALALibrary
's Report Censorship tool to document what's happening & connect w/ professionals who can support you. Report censorship:
#UniteAgainstBookBans
📚 Student Krisha Ramani on why it's crucial for students to have access to a wide variety of books.
Join the campaign to protect that access at .
#UniteAgainstBookBans
#FReadom
"Everyone deserves the opportunity to see themselves and their family reflected in the books in their library’s collection. Those books are a safe place, with stories that validate their experience and where they find acceptance, hope and can see a future."
#UniteAgainstBookBans
The American Library Association applauds the Biden-Harris Administration’s steps announced today to address the rise in book bans and other attacks on LGBTQIA+ Americans. Read our full statement: .
#UniteAgainstBookBans
"It feels like it's this insurmountable thing that we cannot fight. But here's the thing: We can. And you can too."
Fight back against censorship. Find ways you can take action today on
#RightToReadDay
and beyond:
@GCLibraryAllies
#UniteAgainstBookBans
#UniteAgainstBookBans
offers practical tools for anyone to use right now to address book censorship in their community. It's really important for everyone to know what's going on with their local boards to support their local libraries.
#BannedBooksWeek
"Each attempt to ban a book by one of these groups represents a direct attack on every person’s constitutionally protected right to freely choose what books to read and what ideas to explore."
@OIF
Director Deborah Caldwell-Stone
Join
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Attending library board, school board, and city council meetings is one of the most critical actions you can take to
#UniteAgainstBookBans
.
Our partners at
@PFLAG
created a helpful guide for speaking at meetings that we’ve adapted to focus on book bans:
📖 The
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Empowered by Reading report confirms what librarians have long known: access to a wide variety of books benefits young people and their communities. Read the report and show decision makers the power of reading:
Young people deserve to see themselves in library books. "Their aim is to suppress the voices of those traditionally excluded from our nation’s conversations, such as people in the LGBTQIA+ community or people of color."
@OIF
Director Deborah Caldwell-Stone
#UniteAgainstBookBans
"When you have a well-trained librarian w/ a well-stocked library, they can make a difference w/ children & reading.”
@SmayStein
in
@KathaPollitt
's latest:
Libraries & certified school librarians provide lifelong skills for students. They are NOT optional.
We’re grateful today & every day for the readers, librarians, students, teachers, caregivers, authors, national partners, decision makers, & all who work tirelessly to protect the rights of everyone to access a variety of books, in libraries and elsewhere.
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Ahead of a congressional hearing on book bans, we &
@soontornvat
sent an open letter with the signatures of over 1,300 authors to
@OversightDems
—but this call to action goes to state legislators and school boards as well:
@FReadomFighters
"So, now my kid doesn't have the opportunity to read a book that they may connect to, that they may be excited about and that I would be okay with them reading. I don't have that choice anymore as a parent..” — Andrew Spar,
@FloridaEA
#UniteAgainstBookBans
Fighting censorship takes work from ALL of us. Every person that joins the Unite Against Book Bans campaign is one more voice to speak out against it when it comes for our communities.
Join us as we
#UniteAgainstBookBans
:
82% of voters across party lines support young people's ability to access books that help them learn and grow:
Join the movement: .
#UniteAgainstBookBans
#BannedBooks