Tennessee Secretary of State, Tru Hargett, the administrator who oversees the Tennessee State Library and Archives, is requiring public libraries across the state to review their holdings and implement book bans that align with the White House’s definitions of “inappropriate content.” In particular, the State is requiring public libraries to remove books from children’s sections that are deemed to be “harmful” to children in accordance with the “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” Executive Order.
State archives and libraries are trusted agents for information sharing and empowerment of the public. They are not to be used as tools for the abuse of power or to promote a single ideology. As allied information professionals, SAA supports the statement put forth by a coalition of publishers and national library and literary advocacy groups that, “Tennessee’s public libraries are steadfast guardians of the right to read, serving every member of their communities without prejudice, censorship, or fear. Content reviews create an unnecessary expenditure for ends that are likely unconstitutional. Libraries must be guided by directives that respect free speech and constitutional values.”
For SAA members in Tennessee who wish to join in the effort to push back against censorship and book bans, we urge you to learn more from the Tennessee Freedom to Read Project, https://www.tnftrp.org/. If you are not in Tennessee but have friends and family there, you can educate them about this effort. Because state-level advocacy is most effective when constituents and residents engage with their policymakers, those in Tennessee are the best positions to contact legislators or state government officials.
Initiatives like this are not confined to Tennessee. They are happening across the country. If they are happening in your state or locality, you can add your voice to the conversation. Look for your state’s Freedom to Read resources to learn how you might take action. We also encourage you to make SAA aware of such initiatives so we can respond as we are able and share the information with members.
- SAA Council
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