In The News

New PEN America Report Finds Nonfiction a Growing Target for Book Banners

“The content of these books that are disappearing speaks volumes about both the stories, identities, and facts that are being suppressed, and about the political and cultural attack on public education across the U.S.,” the report states.

Publishers and Authors Sue Meta, Alleging ‘Massive’ Copyright Infringement Behind Its Llama AI Service

The class action lawsuit, filed in New York, accuses Meta—and its founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally—of building its Llama AI service with unauthorized copies knowingly sourced from illegal pirate sites.

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending May 1, 2026

Among the week's headlines: an appeals court weighs whether to rehear an appeal of Iowa's S.F. 496; a new poll in Texas shows broad support for librarians; a Tennessee library advocacy group is honored by PEN America; More on the state of library ebooks; and ALA staff vote on their union.

BISG, BookNet Canada, Release Final Survey Report on AI Use in Publishing, Libraries

“Nearly half the industry is using AI, yet qualitative sentiment is overwhelmingly negative,” the report notes, concluding that the book industry is “adopting AI faster than it is becoming comfortable with it.”

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending April 24, 2026

Among the week's headlines: by a 99-0 margin, Illinois sends its library ebook bill to the senate; the Authors Guild honors Carla Hayden; the 11th Circuit hears a key Florida book banning case; Utah bans more books; and the Brooklyn Public Library releases a superb America250 reading list.

American Library Association Shares Book Ban Data, List of ‘Most Challenged’ Titles of 2025

U.S. librarians tracked 4,235 unique book challenges in 2025, nearly matching the record of 4,240 recorded in 2023, and almost double last year’s count.

Product Review: The BOOX Palma 2 Pro Offers Pocket-Sized E-Reading, Library-Sized Access

Looking for a pocket-sized E Ink e-reading option that will work with your favorite library apps? This one might just fit the bill.

The Queue: Library News and Views for the Week Ending April 17, 2026

Among the headlines this week: National Library Week kicks off on Sunday; a new bill in Rhode Island aims to boost school librarians; an Alabama bill that would have politicized library boards is dead; and according to Pew, print still rules, but digital reading is on the rise.

Penguin Random House Urges Congress to Reject Republican Book Banning Bill

“The bill creates strong incentives for schools to remove or avoid a wide range of books and materials,” wrote PRH SVP Skip Dye in a letter to lawmakers, adding that the law would also lead to self-censorship, resulting in “further marginalization of vulnerable communities.”

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending April 10, 2026

Among the week's headlines: a 'freedom to read' bill lands in Congress; Alaska's freedom to read bill advances; PEN America launches a program to protect authors; Minnesota's library ebook bill stalls; Tamika Barnes wins the ALA presidency; and check out the 2026 I Love My Librarian Award winners.

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.

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 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.

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.