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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.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending November 7, 2025

Among the week's headlines: Libraries win at the ballot box; the Chicago Public Library is facing a 50% cut to its collections budget; Ohio Republicans want to let local officials block library ballot measures; more fallout from Baker & Taylor's collapse; and Amanda Jones gets an apology.

Tamika Barnes, Becky Calzada Running for ALA Presidency

In addition to announcing its presidential candidates, ALA also announced the names of 18 nominated candidates who are running for a total of 12 at-large seats on the ALA Council for the 2026-2027 term.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: October 31, 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

Library Advocate: Baker & Taylor’s Collapse Should Be a Wake Up Call for Libraries

The temptation for many will be to pin Baker & Taylor's demise on management decisions, writes U.K.-based library advocate Tim Coates. But it would be a mistake to discount the drop in physical book purchases Baker & Taylor has been navigating for so long.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending October 31, 2025

Among the week's headlines: Llano County lawyers don't want the Supreme Court to review a key book banning case; Texas school boards are asking Chat GPT to help identify books to ban; tech lobbyists want Trump to stop copyright lawsuits over AI; and a new Dr. Seuss book is set for 2026.

Trump Asks Supreme Court to Help Him Fire the Register of Copyrights

The administration’s bid for Supreme Court intervention comes after an appeals court last month found the administration likely lacked the authority to dismiss Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: October 24, 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

Judge Rejects 'Government Speech' Argument in DoD Book Banning Case

Despite the government's arguments to the contrary, DoDEA school libraries “lack the quintessential elements of government speech,” judge Patricia Giles held, explaining that public school libraries “have historically been loci of intellectual freedom.”

ALA Announces Longlist for Andrew Carnegie Medals

Next up, a six-title shortlist—three each for the fiction and nonfiction medals—will be announced on November 18, 2025. The two medal winners will then be announced on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

Court Permanently Blocks Texas 'Book Rating' Law

The controversial 2023 law was viewed by many as the most high profile of a wave of book banning laws at the state level, and would have required book vendors, as a condition of doing business with Texas public schools, to review books for sexual content.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending October 24, 2025

Among the week's headlines: publishers urge the Supreme Court to hear a key book banning case; a new Texas book banning law sparks concern; Pennsylvania legislator to introduce a 'right to read' bill; and an unexpected windfall for Carnegie libraries.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: October 17, 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, we thank you for your support. And we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending October 17, 2025

Among the week's headlines: the publishing world gathers for the Frankfurt Book Fair; North Dakota librarians look to move past right wing political attacks; more on the fallout from Baker & Taylor's collapse; and a program to preserve censored National Park signage goes live.

Deborah Caldwell-Stone, ALA's Stalwart Freedom to Read Advocate, Let Go in Cost Cutting Move

Caldwell-Stone's departure was part of a broader wave of job cuts announced this week as the ALA grapples with a financial shortfall and moves ahead with a recently adopted plan to modernize the association.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: October 10, 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, we thank you for your support. And we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your

ACLU of South Carolina Sues Over School Book Bans

ACLU reps say a newly enacted regulation has “sown chaos and confusion among school employees,” and prompted “a culture of fear among school librarians.”

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending October 10, 2025

Among the week's headlines: Penguin Random House hosts a powerful gathering of freedom to read advocates; a wrongly fired Wyoming library director wins a settlement; 'And Tango Makes Three' authors appeal their loss in a Florida courtroom; and ALA announces a new, virtual winter event.

After Years of Financial Stress, Baker & Taylor Collapses

In a sudden end to what many saw as a slow-moving inevitability, the nearly 200 year-old company is ceasing operations after a foreclosure sale to ReaderLink fell through.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: October 3, 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, we thank you for your support. And we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending October 3, 2025

TIME Magazine honors freedom to read advocate Amanda Jones; The federal government shut down this week, but not before the FCC killed two popular WiFi programs; ReaderLink's acquisition of Baker & Taylor has been called off; and Reading Rainbow returns with a new host, Mychal Threets.

PEN America Report Finds the Battle Over Book Bans Has Entered an Alarming New Phase

“For many students, families, educators, librarians, and school districts, book banning is a new normal,” the report, 'Banned in the USA 2024-2025: The Normalization of Book Banning,' concludes.

In Conversation: Author and Freedom to Read Advocate Lee Wind

Ahead of Banned Books Week 2025, we caught up with the award-winning author and co-founder of We Are Stronger Than Censorship to talk about why advocates must continue to find innovative ways to fight back against the ongoing, pernicious right wing attack on the freedom to read.

In a Setback for the Freedom to Read, Florida Court Finds 'No First Amendment Right to Receive Information' in Libraries

In an 18-page ruling, judge Allen Winsor stopped short of finding that library book selection is government speech, but agreed that Escambia County officials have unfettered power to ban books they disagree with.

The Words & Money Weekly Newsletter: September 26, 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, we thank you for your support. And we encourage you to please share this newsletter with your

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

Among the week's headlines: incoming ALA executive director Dan Montgomery sits for an interview; the Trump FCC is set to kill two popular WiFi programs; the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is hosting a literacy summit; and ALA announces George Takei as honorary chair of Banned Books Week.

Judge Grants Preliminary Approval to Anthropic Settlement

While there may yet be issues to work out as the claims process begins, authors and industry groups are applauding the deal.