One of the things small town librarian Amanda Jones values most about books is how they can affirm a young person's sense of self. So in 2022, when she caught wind of a local public hearing that would discuss “book content,” she knew what was at stake. Schools and libraries nationwide have been bombarded by demands for books with LGTBQ+ references, discussions of racism, and more to be purged from the shelves. Amanda would be damned if her community were to ban stories representing minority groups. She spoke out that night at the meeting. Days later, she woke up to a nightmare that is still ongoing.
Amanda Jones has been called a groomer, a pedo, and a porn-pusher; she has faced death threats and attacks from strangers and friends alike. Her decision to support a collection of books with diverse perspectives made her a target for extremists using book banning campaigns-funded by dark money organizations and advanced by hard right politicians-in a crusade to make America more white, straight, and "Christian." But Amanda Jones wouldn't give up without a fight: she sued her harassers for defamation and urged others to join her in the resistance.
That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America by Amanda Jones will be published on August 27, 2024. Bloomsbury USA provided an early galley for review.
I am currently an adult services librarian in a public library, so books related to my career are a big interest. Also an interest is the growing challenges that we librarians are facing every day when it comes to censorship and the attempts to limit the materials we make available for all readers in our community. That is what drew me to Amanda's story.
The opening chapter describing the aftermath of the hearing is very powerful. I really felt for her and what she was going through. The story then shifts to a few chapters of background leading up to the hearing itself. It was good to get a sense for the community where she grew up, still lives and works as well as the sense overall with what had been happening with libraries in Louisiana up to that point. The climate at the time was tense indeed (and still is).
Where things got a little "uncomfortable", for me, is with how personal she was willing to go. Sharing details from her family life, conversations she had with friends, and even her ongoing thoughts of aggression against those who harassed her were a lot. I understand she is making known her truth, but I fear this book will just continue the cycle of attacks and harassment against her. Speaking out at the hearing put her in the public eye; this book along with the many interviews and appearances she has done (as noted in the book) continue to keep her in that spotlight - for the good of the cause and for ill in her own life. That is a brave thing to do for one's profession and beliefs. I am fairly sure that is not a level of notoriety I am willing put myself into, especially in the current social-political world we've been living in for the past several years. I would find myself instead standing behind the policies of our library, letting them speak clearly where I might not be able to.
Since the subtitle of this one is "The Fight Against Book Banning in America", I appreciated when the author included details of other libraries across the country who are responding to similar attacks and censorship. I wish there was more focus on these other libraries; what little we got was sprinkled in-between her personal fight and grievances.
In the end, she provides some good information on how to be a more vocal advocate against book banners. That will prove useful to those looking into this. All in all, it was an enlightening read and has plenty to offer even those not part of our profession.
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