Trump Administration Abruptly Ends Its Legal Bid to Shutter the IMLS
While ALA reps this week heralded the end of the litigation, the future of the agency remains uncertain.
Andrew Richard Albanese
Appeals Court Vacates Injunction Blocking Iowa Book Banning Law
In a brief six-page ruling, a three-judge panel of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals held that school officials and politicians have broad discretion over what school libraries can remove from library shelves without violating the First Amendment.
The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: April 3, 2026
Thank you for supporting Words & Money and helping to establish an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises.
The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending April 3, 2026
Among the week's headlines: supporters stand with fired Tennessee librarian Luanne James; the Urban Libraries Council proposes two fixes for the library ebook market; Idaho enacts a new law to give politicians control over library leaders; and two reports on how AI is supercharging book bans.
‘There’s a Cold Wind Blowing Across Our Nation’: At PLA 2026 in Minneapolis, Librarians Hear a Message of Reslience
Some 6,000 librarians were in Minneapolis this week for the 2026 Public Library Association Conference.
In FY 2027 Budget Proposal, Trump Once Again Calls for the Elimination of the IMLS
For a sixth time over his two terms, President Trump has proposed the elimination of the IMLS and with it virtually all federal library funding.
The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: March 27, 2026
Thank you for supporting Words & Money and helping to establish an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises.
Librarians Say the Library Ebook Market Needs Another Breakthrough Moment. Can Legislation Help Deliver It?
Amid surging demand, budget stress, high prices and unwieldy restrictions, librarians say the digital library market is unsustainable and they are looking to a new wave of proposed legislation to support some fundamental reforms.
The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending March 27, 2026
Among the week's headlines: The 2026 PLA Conference is upon us; Illinois advances a library ebook bill; several worrisome library bills in Iowa die in committee; a Tennessee librarian could soon learn her fate for refusing an order to ban books; and SLJ announces its School Librarian of the Year.
The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: March 20, 2026
Thank you for supporting Words & Money and helping to establish an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises.
The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending March 20, 2026
Among the week's headlines: why a library leader is running for public office in Connecticut; the GOP's nationwide book banning bill passes out of committee; a Tennessee library director makes a brave stand against book bans; and a major publisher pulls a book said to be created with AI.
Bankruptcy Filing Offers More Details into Baker & Taylor’s Stunning Collapse
According to court documents, Baker & Taylor has repaid its main creditor in full but still owes approximately $120 million to more than 1,000 remaining creditors, including approximately $68 million to publishers and $33 million to libraries.
The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: March 13, 2026
Thank you for supporting Words & Money and helping to establish an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises.
Editor's Note: One Year In, with Much More to Come
It's been one year since 'Words & Money' soft launched at the 2025 London Book Fair. Founding editor Andrew Richard Albanese offers a status report.
Simon & Schuster Taps Former Amazon Exec Greg Greeley to Succeed Jonathan Karp as CEO
Greeley’s appointment comes some six months after Karp announced he would be stepping back to run a new imprint at Simon & Schuster, Simon Six.
The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending March 13, 2026
Among the headlines this week: uncertainty looms large for libraries in Library Journal's recent annual budget survey; Seattle's mayor proposes a funding boost for the Seattle Public Library; a Texas librarian tangles with Moms for Liberty; and a defiant Alabama library doubles down in epic fashion.