Fam, it's time to shelve that image too many of us have of librarians as cardigan wearing severely coiffed beings tiptoeing around their domains in sensible shoes to shush anyone speaking above a whisper. The truth is that in this century they're some of the most bad ass defenders of our access to diverse, inclusive books that reflect our diversity of identities, needs, and interests. Even when they're opposed by powerful people who use all kinds of nasty tactics to remove books that have BIPOC or LGBTQ+ authors or characters, question our nation's seriously whitewashed history, or provide factual sexual information for children and teens who might not encounter it at home or in school and who slander and harass their librarian defenders relentlessly. Even when it takes a terrible toll on them. Amanda Jones is one such librarian. Her That Librarian is a must read for anyone who underestimates what today's librarians are up against.
At the time that her life altering experience took place Jones was a well respected librarian working at the same middle school she attended as a child and meaningfully engaged with her community. She had received prestigious professional awards. In fact she'd been the 2021 School Library Journal National Librarian of the Year. She was President of the Louisiana Association of School Librarians.
So what did she do to incur the hatred of her her local censors? She spoke in the part of a library board meeting reserved for public comment. And she didn't say anything inflammatory--just explained the need for public libraries to serve the book needs of the entire community and the already in place official book challenge process.
A few days later she found herself in the middle of a shitsttorm. She discovered a vicious social media campaign to ruin her reputation. She even got death threats:
"Amanda, you are indoctrinating our children with perversion + pedophilia grooming. Your evil agenda is getting print + national coverage. Congrats. Continue with your LGBT agenda on our children cause we gunna put ur fat evil commie PEDO azz in the dirt very soon bitch."
And the cyberbullying became increasingly cruel and the threats more credible (we know where where you live) as time went on. Jones became increasingly terrified that she, a family member, a colleague, or one of the children she loved teaching would be harmed or worse by the unbalanced individuals making the threats. This fear took a huge toll on her physical and mental health. And the legal system took the side of her tormentors.
Jones didn't give up. She knew that legions of fellow librarians were being similarly persecuted by the book banners. She heroically persisted in any way she could in combating book censorship. She gives lots of good advice on how regular citizens can give much needed aid and support.
So who should read That Librarian? Everyone who believes in the importance of the freedom to read diverse, inclusive, and truth telling books.
On a purrrsonal note, in my early childhood when I was rewarded for grocery shopping good behavior with a trip to the Beverly (Massachusetts) Public Library where I could check out the maximum number of books the characters in nearly all the books on the shelves in the juvenile/teen section were white, middle class, hetero, CIS, male if they were doing anything adventurous. Presumably authors were too. There were rumors of a collection of "bad" books being locked up behind the main check out desk. I believe that this is the period of library "greatness" the censors want to return us to. We can't let that happen!!!
A great big shout out goes out to Amanda Jones and the other librarians who are our champions in the fight for freedom to read.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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