In The News

The Queue: Library News for the Week Ending September 4, 2026

Among the week's headlines: a new report details the threats facing public libraries in 2026; Ron Charles defends library ebooks; more on how Arkansas librarians are reacting to Act 372; Texas librarians react to Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's threats; and 15 truly amazing library projects.

PEN America: Public Libraries Are Reaching a "Breaking Point"

Amid growing "pressure to censor collections, increased intimidation against library staff, and disruptions to library operations," U.S. public libraries are at a crucial moment, according to a new report released this week by PEN America.

In Out of Circulation: Expanding Censorship in Public Libraries, PEN officials report that "the fallout from book bans, cancelled story hours, harassment of librarians, funding cuts, and the undoing of libraries’ independent governance are threatening the very existence of public libraries.”

Based on a review of trends since 2021, when a politically organized right-wing attack on libraries and the freedom to read began to take root, the report asserts that libraries in 2026 are facing nothing less than an existential crisis.

“Threats to public libraries, the librarians who run them, and the books they contain are, fundamentally, attacks on our communities and on freedom of expression. Together these efforts are bellwethers of an overarching attack on democracy through a narrowing of who ought to be represented in the public sphere, or what ideas we should all have equal opportunity to access," the report notes. “This is nothing less than an attack on the idea of the library as a public institution and the principle of a diverse democratic society it represents. It’s an attack on bedrock American values, among them freedom of speech, individual liberty, and equality.”

At the same time, the report notes that librarians and library advocates are continuing to stand up for their values, and urges communities to "defend their libraries from ideologically-driven interference."

"The same arguments that have inflamed censorship in schools are also eroding public libraries," Philomena Polefrone, senior manager, writes. "But wherever we see efforts to destabilize these vital public institutions, we also see communities organizing to protect their right to read, standing alongside their public librarians, and resisting funding threats from politically motivated decision-makers.”

On Library Ebooks, Ron Charles Speaks Up for Libraries

On his excellent Substack, former Washington Post book critic Ron Charles has a message for publishing industry leaders who this week released a "study" suggesting that library ebook lending is hurting publishers: read the room.

"Tuesday morning, PEN America released a grim report detailing the swarm of attacks pushing our public libraries toward 'a breaking point.' Right-wing prigs and other enemies of literary liberty have marched beyond old-fashioned book bans to disrupt author events, defund libraries, and even harass librarians," he writes. And, in "a cringe-inducing bit of bad timing, the Association of American Publishers and the Authors Guild released a study 40 minutes later claiming that public libraries are harming the publishing industry."

Using his trademark style and wit, Charles addressed the issue. "I’m not persuaded by the publishers’ pain," he writes. "For decades, I listened to them bemoan the collapse of newspaper book sections around the country without spending a dime on advertising outside the giant newspaper in their own backyard. Now, similarly, they claim they can’t afford to help libraries—the biggest promoter of their wares and their most effective ally in the fight against literary oblivion. Waxing rhapsodic about 'natural market-based evolution?' Get real: Those footsteps lead directly to Amazon selling AI-generated slop for a penny a book."

This is a must read. "Our literary culture is under widespread, organized, federally empowered assault," he concludes. "This is no time for publishers to blame their financial woes on America’s beleaguered libraries."

More on How Act 372 is Changing Arkansas Libraries

The Arkansas Times has more reporting this week on how librarians are reacting to Act 372, the 2023 law that, after an appeals court decision in July, now exposes librarians to criminal charges if a minor accesses allegedly “harmful” books. The article also shouts out a call by EveryLibrary for Arkansas lawmakers to repeal and replace the law.

"Immediately after the Eighth Circuit’s decision, the Independence County Library announced it would no longer allow patrons under 18 to check out manga content," the report notes. In addition, Craighead County announced several changes to protect librarians from potential problems, including: blocking minors from using self-checkout kiosks; restricting children under 13 to a "designated children’s collection" and minors aged 13-17 to "children or teen" sections; minors may no longer check out DVDs at all; and minors are now barred from "entering or purchasing anything from the Friends of the Library Bookstore."

After Lt. Governor's Threat, Texas Librarians Fear Reprisals for Doing Their Jobs

The Texas Tribune has an excellent report on the fear librarians in the state are feeling after Lt. Governor Dan Patrick warned school administrators to ban more than 2,200 additional books under a recently enacted state law S.B. 13, citing "an extensive list compiled by Recover America, a Christian conservative activist group."

"Librarians and educators say rather than filtering out inappropriate content for students, this latest push on censoring the themes kids are exposed to and the constant barrage of book ban lists makes their job—fostering the joy of reading among kids—difficult," the report states. "Many are scared of buying new books and hesitant to encourage students to read certain novels, which for many is the very reason they decided to become librarians."

The report also notes that Carolyn Foote, who co-founded the grassroots group Texas FReadom Fighters, reached out to nearly a dozen school districts across the state to see what effect S.B. 13 has had on book purchasing and found that several districts have dramatically slowed new book purchases. "Lubbock ISD, for example, did not make any book orders from August 2025 to February 2026, according to a copy of the district’s response to Foote’s public information request that she provided to the Tribune.... The risks are just too high, librarians said."

Alabama State Library Officials Detail Controversial Rule Changes

The Alabama Reflector reports that the Alabama Public Library Service has unveiled "sample policies" to help libraries in the state comply with "controversial administrative code changes" adopted in the past two years, including a sweeping ban on materials that involve gender ideology for library users under 18. "The changes came after right-wing activists targeted libraries in Alabama and around the nation, claiming youth sections of libraries contained explicit or sexually suggestive materials," the report notes. As Words & Money has shared, the changes led to the Fairhope Public Library being stripped of its state funding for refusing to move a handful of books that the APLS objected to.

More on the FCC's Threat to E-rate

The Indianapolis Star reports on the threat libraries are facing from the FCC which is currently seeking public comments on a plan that could change or eliminate the agency's popular and vital E-rate program, which subsidizes broadband access for schools and libraries.

"Free Wi-Fi allows Hoosiers a cozy and safe place to access the internet at all 26 library locations across Indianapolis. Potential cuts, however, by the Federal Communications Commission have put that access at risk, advocates warn, and not just in Indiana, but for millions of people in libraries and public schools across the country," the report states, noting that "Indiana's schools and libraries have received more than $242 million in E-rate discounts over the past four years."

A Book Banning Refresher

Over at Book Riot, Kelly Jensen heads into the Labor Day weekend with one of her regular recaps of past columns. I always like these, because they connect stories she's been covering for years to what's going on currently, and this week's recap is especially relevant considering the release this week of a PEN America report that looks at the pressure librarians face.

Kelly Jensen Launches a New Podcast, Liberating Lit

Also from Kelly Jensen, news of a new, limited-run podcast, Liberating Lit. The show will aim to "connect listeners with incredible people across the country doing interesting things at the intersections of pro-literacy and pro-library work." It's set for two 10-episode seasons, running Fall 2026 through Spring 2027.

Rest in Power, Gloria Steinem: a True American Hero

Sad news this week, with the passing of Gloria Steinem at age 92. Steinem was an incredible advocate, and she understood deeply the power of libraries. At the 2015 ALA Annual Conference, she delivered an inspiring talk, which American Libraries covered here (and you can watch the video). "Your profession is the greatest profession,” Steinem told librarians. “You democratize knowledge. Nothing on earth is more important.”

And Finally This Week...

We like to close with some good news whenever we can, and this week, American Libraries obliges with its 2026 Library Design Showcase. Head into your Labor Day Weekend with a look at some truly outstanding library buildings.

"The word welcome appeared in many of this year’s submissions, reflecting a growing understanding that in anxious times, the library is a place that should feel good: safe, comfortable, well-lit, plugged in, and deeply connected to its surroundings," writes SallyAnn Price. Something else to feel good about: more than two thirds of this year's selections are "renovations or adaptive reuse" projects, suggesting that libraries are "finding ways to acknowledge historical and environmental realities, embrace natural elements and cultural identities, evolve traditions, and build in flexibility to account for the unexpected."