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The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: December 29, 2025

Happy New Year! We begin our last newsletter of 2025 with a heartfelt thank you for your readership and support. Since sending our first newsletter on April 25, we've made significant progress toward our goal of establishing an independent media venture that properly centers the role of libraries

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending December 26, 2025

Among the headlines this week: Governor Kathy Hochul has vetoed New York's 'freedom to read' bill; in Tennessee, legal questions hang over a state-ordered audit of library collections; Ohio libraries are facing an uncertain 2026; and check out the works entering the public domain on January 1.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul Vetoes State's Freedom to Read Bill

In a statement, the bill's architect, State Senator Rachel May, said Hochul's veto was "misguided and deeply frustrating."

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: December 19, 2025

Thank you for supporting Words & Money and helping us establish an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises. If you're already a subscriber, thank you, and we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending December 19, 2025

Among the headlines this week: Stephen Miller's group targets Penguin Random House; librarians voice concern over SCOTUS's Llano County snub; updates on two key book banning lawsuits; a controversy in Colorado over library board appointments; and could the U.K. make public libraries a birthright?

GAO Report: Many Public Library Buildings in the U.S. Are in 'Poor' Condition

According to the December 18 report, an estimated 38% of the nation’s public libraries have at least one building system in poor condition, while an estimated 61% have at least one building system or feature that poses a potential health or safety concern.

In Conversation: Novelist Joe Mungo Reed

Words & Money catches up with the author, whose latest book, 'Terrestrial History,' has landed on several 'best of' lists from public libraries, and earned a place on the longlist for the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: December 12, 2025

Thank you for supporting Words & Money, and helping us establish an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises. If you're already a subscriber, thank you, and we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending December 12, 2025

Among the week's headlines: How Llano County leaders reacted to this week's news from the Supreme Court; Publishers Weekly names PRH CEO Nihar Malaviya its Person of the Year; Montana librarians worry about relaxed new state standards; Hoopla shares its most borrowed titles of 2025, and more...

In Conversation: Freedom to Read Advocate Leila Green Little

Words & Money talks with the lead plaintiff in Little v. Llano County about her four year fight against censorship.

Supreme Court Declines to Hear Key Texas Book Banning Case

The denial in 'Little v. Llano County' lets stand a controversial Fifth Circuit decision empowering local leaders in three states to remove books from public libraries at will, even for unconstitutional viewpoint discretion.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: December 5, 2025

Thank you for supporting Words & Money, and helping us establish an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises. If you're already a subscriber, thank you, and we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your

OverDrive Seeks Preliminary Injunction Blocking Open AI's Sora Trademark Infringement

Lawyers argue that the "toxic waste content" generated by Open AI's Sora video generation app is harming OverDrive, which owns the trademarks for Sora, a popular student-focused digital borrowing platform.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending December 5, 2025

Among the headlines this week: a Texas book banning case takes a step closer to the Supreme Court; a superb take on libraries and the budget drama at the Chicago Public Library; PEN America weighs in on Florida's new book banning numbers; and farewell to our friend and colleague Porter Anderson.

Reed, Grijalva Reintroduce Federal 'Right to Read' Act

The lawmakers said the legislation would support "evidence-based reading instruction, well stocked and staffed school libraries, family literacy programs, a wide range of reading materials, and the freedom to choose what to read."

IMLS Says It Will Reinstate All Terminated Grants

The move comes after a federal judge in Rhode Island permanently blocked the Trump administration's efforts to shut down the agency via executive order.

With Gratitude...

A reminder that we won't be sending a weekly newsletter on Friday, November 28, the day after Thanksgiving, but that doesn't mean the news stops. This week we reported on a coalition of publishers, librarians, and advocates pushing back on a plan in Tennessee to review

In ALA Case, DOJ Continues the Fight to Dismantle the IMLS

In a parallel lawsuit filed by the American Library Association in Washington D.C., DOJ lawyers this week moved for summary judgment using the same arguments rejected last week by a federal judge in Rhode Island.

Publishers, Freedom to Read Advocates Sound Alarm on Tennessee Plan to Review Library Collections

Critics say the state's sweeping plan to audit library collections for appropriateness has created "widespread confusion, fear, and operational disruption across the state’s public libraries."

For Our Book Launch, We Ditched the Social Media. We Chose Public Libraries Instead.

'Heartland Masala' author Auyon Mukharji reflects on the role public libraries played in a fun and successful fall book tour.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: November 21, 2025

Thank you for supporting Words & Money, and helping us establish an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises. If you're already a subscriber, thank you, and we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending November 21, 2025

Among the week's headlines: a long-awaited legal victory for the freedom to read in Missouri; Alabama bans books with trans themes from Public library youth sections; a new report in Georgia explores the economic value of public libraries; and a library ebook bill advances in Massachusetts.

In a Major Victory, Rhode Island Judge Permanently Blocks Trump's Bid to Shutter the IMLS

In a November 21 summary judgment ruling, judge John J. McConnell held that the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the IMLS and several other federal agencies via executive order was both illegal and unconstitutional.

OverDrive Sues OpenAI For Sora Trademark Infringement

"There exists a certain, grave risk of reputational harm to OverDrive if the public perceives an association between OverDrive and OpenAI," OverDrive lawyers argue in the suit.

ALA Announces Shortlist for 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction

Notably, this year's shortlist has a distinct international flair as two of the three fiction finalists and one of the nonfiction finalists are translated works.

The ALA's Lawsuit to Save the IMLS Set to Extend Into 2026

A proposed new briefing schedule would have key filing deadlines in the case extended to the end of December, reflecting a nearly two-month delay from the government shutdown.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: November 14, 2025

Thank you for supporting Words & Money, an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises. If you're already a subscriber, thank you, and we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your friends and colleagues and

Supreme Court Set to Decide Whether to Hear Key Texas Book Banning Case

The petition to the high court comes after the Fifth Circuit, in a shocking decision delivered in May, held there was no First Amendment right to receive information in libraries.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending November 14, 2025

Among the week's headlines: a moral panic over library books in Tennessee; the Library of Congress is spared a massive budget cut; and a battle over the ALA continues in one Wyoming community.

‘An Inexcusable Mess’: In Supreme Court Brief, Register of Copyrights Shreds Trump Administration’s Bid to Fire Her

In a fiery brief, lawyers for Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter urged the Supreme Court not to stay a September appeals court decision barring the Trump Administration from interfering with her job.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: November 7, 2025

Thank you for supporting Words & Money, an independent media venture that aims to properly center libraries in the 21st century reading, writing, and publishing enterprises. If you're already a subscriber, thank you, and we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your friends and colleagues and

BISG, We Are Stronger Than Censorship Team Up for Banned Books Campaign

Your donation to the joint 'Season of Giving: Give the Gift of Reading Challenge' aims to provide some 2,000 banned books to readers across the country.