New Jersey Introduces Library Ebook Bill
If passed, the New Jersey bill would sound beyond the Garden State, satisfying the so-called “trigger clause” in the recently passed library ebook bill in Connecticut.
Andrew Richard Albanese
The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending May 30, 2025
Among the week's headlines: Fallout from the Fifth Circuit's massive book banning decision; Texas moves a step closer to giving school boards control of public school libraries; and Colorado libraries are struggling with ebook costs.
States Oppose Trump Administration's Bid to Stay IMLS Injunction
Citing the potential for further harm, attorneys for 21 plaintiff states are urging judge John G. McConnell not to stay his May 13 injunction pending an appeal by the Trump administration.
A Setback for the Freedom to Read: the Words & Money Weekly Newsletter for the Week Ending May 23, 2025
Apologies for the late delivery on a very busy Friday ahead of the Memorial Day weekend. It's been quite a news day. In this week's Words
The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending May 23, 2025
Among the week's headlines: Petitions celebrate Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden; ALA welcomes IMLS employees back to work after court order; and Nevada races to pass a bill that would protect librarians.
In a Stunning Reversal, The Fifth Circuit Deals a Blow to the Freedom to Read
In a closely watched book banning case, the court held that library book decisions are 'government speech' and thus immune from First Amendment challenges, setting up a potential high stakes showdown at the Supreme Court.
Register of Copyright Shira Perlmutter Sues to Keep Her Job
Lawyers for Perlmutter argue that Trump lacks the authority to fire the Register of Copyrights, or appoint a replacement.
In Conversation: Connecticut Library Consortium Executive Director Ellen Paul
Words & Money talks with Connecticut Library Consortium executive director Ellen Paul about Connecticut's new library ebook bill, the long and winding road to passage, and what comes next.
D.C. Judge Looks to Delay Decision on IMLS Injunction
Judge Richard J. Leon has proposed extending his temporary restraining order until the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decides how to handle an appeal in a similar case.
DOJ Seeks to Stay Injunction Restoring the IMLS
The move comes as acting IMLS director Keith E. Sonderling said the agency was "working diligently" to comply with judge John G. McConnell's May 13 preliminary injunction, which DOJ lawyers argue is overly burdensome.
Wins and Losses: The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter for the Week Ending May 16, 2025
As one library advocate recently remarked, it's a mile a minute out there. But this week, there were some positive developments for library advocates in a host of
Connecticut Passes Library E-Book Legislation
“The Connecticut bill essentially restores the right to negotiate, so libraries aren’t forced into take-it-or-leave-it digital deals," said Ellen Paul, executive director of the Connecticut Library Consortium.
After Trump Firings, Who Will Lead the Library of Congress? The Copyright Office? It's Complicated
After the shock firings of Carla Hayden and Shira Perlmutter, the future of the Library of Congress and the Copyright Office remains in flux.
The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending May 16, 2025
Among the week's headlines: Authors, library groups urge Congress to resist Trump's Library of Congress takeover; Rhode Island advances its Freedom to Read bill; Patmos Library staff quit over board concerns; and IFLA is alarmed by 'fear and intimidation' facing U.S. librarians.
ALA Urges Court to Deny DOJ’s Motion for Reconsideration in IMLS Case
ALA lawyers say the administration remains determined to dismantle the IMLS.
In a Major Win for Libraries, Federal Judge Orders IMLS to Be Restored
In a rebuke, federal judge John J. McConnell has ordered the Trump administration to immediately reverse the mass terminations of grants and staff at IMLS.