News

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.

Just in time for Banned Books Week 2025, Time Magazine has announced that one of the library community's most ardent defenders of the freedom to read, Amanda Jones, has landed on the TIME100 Next list. According to the publication, the designation honors the "world's most influential rising stars" who are "shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, health, science and activism, and more."

Jones is an award-winning veteran school librarian from Livingston Parish, Louisiana. In 2022 she was thrust into the national spotlight after she spoke up against the removal of LGBTQ books from her local public library and became the target of abuse at the hands of two local book banners. But rather than be intimidated, Jones fought back, filing a lawsuit against the individuals who attacked her online as a "groomer," and has since become a fierce advocate and the inspirational leader of the library community's freedom to read efforts.

Last year, Bloomsbury published Jones's memoir That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America, which is out in paperback this week.

Jones is also featured in the documentary The Librarians, executive produced by Sarah Jessica Parker–who, not coincidentally, wrote Jones's brief TIME100 Next entry. "Libraries are the heartbeat of our communities. An essential gateway for information and self-discovery," Parker writes. "It has been a privilege to get to know Amanda through her work and the upcoming documentary The Librarians. She is beyond deserving of wider recognition."

The ReaderLink, Baker & Taylor Deal Is Off

Publishers Weekly reports that ReaderLink will not acquire library supplier Baker & Taylor after all, as the two parties on September 26 announced that they have "mutually" agreed to call off the deal.

"Earlier this month, ReaderLink announced it had agreed to acquire substantially all of the assets of the library wholesaler and take on much of its staff, but that all of B&T’s financial obligations remained with the wholesaler," reports PW's Jim Milliot. "While publishers, suppliers, and others in the industry were relieved the troubled wholesaler would stay in business, many were concerned about how much of the outstanding obligations B&T owed publishers they would be able to pay following completion of the deal. Many publishers told PW they are owed significant sums by B&T."

The news has some now questioning whether the deal's collapse will hasten what many see as B&T's inevitable slide into bankruptcy. On social media, several librarians noted they were canceling orders with B&T and rushing to fill orders through Ingram or Brodart.

The Government Shutdown is Here

At American Libraries, ALA executive director of Public Policy and Advocacy Lisa Varga has a piece on the potential impact of the government shutdown on libraries.

"ALA members and other library workers at the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Library of Congress, Government Publishing Office and other federal agencies have been pulled away from their work. Their income and employment have been put at risk, and the libraries and users who use their services are missing access to them. But in a larger sense, the inability of our nation’s leaders to agree on priorities demonstrates that our government has failed," Varga writes. "One possible scenario is that the Trump administration renews its efforts to shutter IMLS and ED, even though federal courts have blocked such attempts earlier this year. A government shutdown increases the vulnerability of federal programs, as executive actions may seek to reduce or even eliminate them—especially under a president eager to assert his power."

FCC Kills Popular WiFi Programs

As we reported last week, the FCC has indeed voted to kill two popular programs strongly supported by the library community, one program that allowed for E-Rate support for library and school hotspot lending programs, and another that allowed for school bus Wi-Fi.

“ALA is both disappointed by the FCC’s takebacks and discouraged by the lack of due process, which left no opportunity for staff, patrons and library advocates to give input on the draft order," said ALA president Sam Helmick, in a release. "For years, we have engaged in the rulemaking process with good faith, partnering with the FCC to fulfill their mandate to make reliable, high-quality broadband available nationwide. And today, the Commission openly voted to snatch back the opportunity to offer more Americans, especially in rural areas, the high-speed internet access to do the business of life online–pay bills, make telehealth appointments, fill out school applications–after the library closes.”

The FCC's move is sure to impact the work of libraries, and already this week LAist is reporting that Los Angeles County libraries are cutting digital lending services in response.

“Due to the FCC’s recent vote to end E-Rate support for library hotspot lending, L.A. County Library will begin winding down its digital lending services,” Karol Sarkisyan, marketing manager at L.A. County Library, told LAist. “Continuing these services would cost the library approximately $40,500 per month—an expense the library’s current budget cannot absorb.”

Colorado Libraries to Offer Digital Access to Banned Books

Just in time for Banned Books Week, Colorado Public Radio reports that Colorado's Anythink Libraries are offering free digital access to a collection of some 300 banned books.

"The new Freedom to Read Collection will be available for free to anyone over the age of 13 through the Palace Project app—no library card required," the report notes. “We recognize that there are some Colorado libraries where there are more challenges. For example, students that live in the Elizabeth School District might be able to find this Freedom to Read collection as one resource to borrow material that might be removed from their school libraries,” Anythink executive director Mark Fink told the outlet. “If a parent or a caregiver wants to have more oversight over what their kids are reading, then we completely support their rights to do that, but the library isn't the place to decide what people should be reading or not reading.”

Controversy Erupts Over Kentucky Library's New Board Member

The Owensboro Times reports that the Daviess County, Kentucky, Fiscal Court voted 3-1 on Thursday to appoint attorney and pastor Tim Kline to the Daviess County Public Library Board, after a controversial process and a heated debate.

"Every seat was filled as more than 100 people packed into the Fiscal Courtroom, with several standing along the walls as debate over the appointment once again drew community interest," the outlet reports. "Representing opposing viewpoints were Daviess County Citizens for Decency Chairman Jerry Chapman and Cheryl Brown with the Coalition for an Inclusive Daviess County."

Chapman, the report notes, "urged commissioners to approve Kline’s appointment, framing it as a matter of integrity and child protection rather than partisan politics." Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, Brown said the appointment process "ignored qualified candidates" submitted by the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives in favor of Kline. “It is a clear overreach of power to ignore well-qualified applicants to place peers that support one’s own religious ideology on a public board,” she said. “… Science is not on your side. History is not on your side. Compassion in the First Amendment is not on your side, and the youth and young professionals are not on your side.”

Court Tosses Michigan Book Banner's Lawsuit Accusing School of Violating Her Civil Rights

Via the Michigan Advance, a federal judge this week tossed a lawsuit brought by "Moms For Liberty associate" Stefanie Boone that accused the officials at the Lowell High School and Lowell Middle School of violating her civil rights.

"After criticizing a Lowell High School teacher on social media, Boone was sent a letter from Principal Steve Gough requesting she 'cease and desist from any reference to any Lowell Area Schools employee on social media and/or other public communication platforms,' and asking that she have no contact with staff without permission from the building principal or superintendent," the Advance reports. "Boone argued these policies violated her First Amendment right to free speech, and that the policies are unconstitutionally vague."

However, Judge Paul Maloney this week tossed the case for failure to state a claim, holding that "members of the public have no constitutional right to force the government to listen to their views.”

Boone, meanwhile, is also "embroiled in a separate civil suit filed by Lowell Area Schools Library Media Director Christine Beachler," the Advance adds, who has accused Boone of waging “smear campaign” against her.

More Reasons Why Today's Book Banning Movement is 'Nonsensical'

Over at Book Riot, Kelly Jensen leads off her censorship news column with a fascinating look at the books being targeted by the right today, and finding that "the average banned book in America was published in 2003, making the average age of the books being banned most frequently right now 22 years old."

"Despite growth in diversity both in publishing and in young people, it is curious to see that the most banned and challenged books in the USA aren’t primarily new titles," Jensen writes. "This kind of data is interesting to consider and indicative of how slapdash and nonsensical the push to ban books is. There’s nothing cohesive here except an interest in removing the stories, voices, and perspectives of people of color, of queer people, and of books that speak honestly to the issues of sex, sexuality, puberty, and adolescence."

A Librarian's Take on Book Bans

Also in time for Banned Books Week, Current Affairs a really nicely done essay by Andrew Gooding-Call on book bans, with some powerful observations about about why the current wave of book bans is so focused the LGBTQ+ community.

"Queer folks, in particular, are change machines. Gender breakers, rule breakers, breakers of expression and mode, every one is unique, and they are a powerful engine for liberal and progressive thought. That means that conservatives must despise and fear them. They are a threat to conventionality and conformity through the fact of their existence," Gooding-Call writes. "Reducing them to sexual perverts intent upon abusing children is more than a way to excise them from discourse; it’s a way to additionally prevent new, rule-breaking ideas from infecting questioning young people."

Alabama Moving Ahead with New Rules Banning Books with Transgender Themes

The Alabama Political Reporter has a piece on the ongoing bid to ban books with transgender themes.

"Members of the public have until 4:30 p.m. Oct. 14 to make their voices heard in writing," the report notes, regarding a "code change" that would would define any material that 'promotes, encourages, or positively depicts transgender procedures, gender ideology, or the concept of more than two biological genders' as inappropriate for children and youth."

The report notes that when the state library agency held a public comment session on code changes last year "more than 6,000 written public comments were received with a near-even split between support and opposition."

Carla Hayden Is a National Treasure

Local affiliate WYPR has a great talk with former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden about libraries and information and, well, other stuff, that is well worth a listen. As always. The talk comes as Hayden will be honored tonight, October 3, with an award named after her, the Carla D. Hayden Award for Distinguished Public Service at the Mr. Pratt Presents Gala, where she will be in conversation with the businessman and philanthropist David Rubenstein.

And Finally This Week...

Yes, we get to close this week with some good news, though it probably won't be news to many of you. Reading Rainbow is coming back, and it will be hosted by "the Internet's favorite librarian" Mychal Threets.

"Launched in July 1983, 'Reading Rainbow' was created to motivate children to find joy in reading during summer recess from school, according to ReadingRainbow.org. It won a Peabody Award and multiple Daytime Emmy Awards. After 21 seasons and 155 episodes, it was canceled in November 2006," reports NBC News. "Threets, the former Solano County, California, library supervisor who has gained a massive following online in recent years, became known for sharing daily interactions at the library and talking openly about his mental health challenges."

New episodes will premiere at 10 a.m. ET every Saturday during October on the KidZuko, a kids' YouTube channel from Sony Pictures Television. They will also be available on “Reading Rainbow’s” website. Sounds perfect.