Volume 7, Issue 2 - The Political Librarian - Fall 2024
The EveryLibrary Institute Presents 2024 Fall Issue of The Political Librarian Journal.
Read the current issue of The Political Librarian
Volume 7 • Issue 2 • 2024
on the Open Scholarship platform at Washington University Libraries, ISSN: 2471-3155
https://www.thepoliticallibrarian.org
The Fall 2024 issue is published at a moment when political, social, and cultural issues are affecting library services in unprecedented ways. Censorship and book bans have become official policy in many states and localities. These efforts not only impinge the First Amendment, but they are also attempts to discriminate against racial and sexual minorities by marginalizing and eliminating books about, by, and for those populations. The call-for-papers for this issue solicited numerous papers and opinion pieces that hope to mark the current moment and comment on these issues for public, academic, and school library stakeholders.
Table of Contents for Fall 2024 Issue
- “A Confluence of Trends in Library Censorship”, by Michael Nyby and Richard Ellis
- “Divisive Politics and Threats to Academic Libraries”, by Kathleen McEvoy
- “Access to Online Subscription Content in K12 Schools through the School Library”, by Connie Williams, Jo Melinson, and Mary Ann Harlan
- “Tip O'Neill was Right: The Power of Local Politics”, by Shari Henry
- “Missouri Public Library Levy Campaigns: My Experience and Advice for Directors”, by Michelle R. Mears
- “A Warning from East Berlin on Book Censorship”, by Anne Ake
- “A Conflict between Religious Extremism and Intellectual Freedom at Ground Zero” by Lacie Sutherland
This issue of The Political Librarian features Michael Nyby and Richard Ellis’s “A Confluence of Trends in Library Censorship” which examines how Canadian reactionary groups have emulated the American anti-library movement, targeting LGBTQIA+ and racial justice materials. Kathleen McEvoy’s “Divisive Politics and Threats to Academic Libraries” highlights the politicization of academic libraries, including attacks on DEI, CRT, and humanities education, urging librarians to leverage data and advocacy to safeguard academic freedom. A white paper by Connie Williams, Jo Melinson, and Mary Ann Harlan, “Access to Online Subscription Content in K-12 Schools through the School Library,” warns against over-filtering and censorship in school databases, which threaten students' access to educational resources. It provides legal context and proactive policy recommendations to counter these trends.
The issue also includes reflective pieces grounded in lived experience. Shari Henry’s “Tip O'Neill Was Right: The Power of Local Politics” calls on librarians to engage in local advocacy to protect free expression. Michelle R. Mears shares practical guidance in “Missouri Public Library Levy Campaigns: My Experience and Advice for Directors.” Anne Ake’s “A Warning from East Berlin on Book Censorship” offers a poignant historical perspective on suppression, connecting past censorship to present-day book bans. Lacie Sutherland’s “A Conflict between Religious Extremism and Intellectual Freedom at Ground Zero” recounts the harrowing political and personal costs of resisting censorship in Alabama.
Together, these articles underscore the urgency of defending intellectual freedom and provide actionable insights for librarians and advocates alike. You can download individual articles or the entire Issue, along with all previous Issues of The Political Librarian, at https://thepoliticallibrarian.org/. We are grateful to the Open Scholarship initiative at Washington University in St. Louis University Libraries for hosting the Journal.
Special Issue Announced for Early 2025
A Special Issue of The Political Librarian will be devoted to discussions and analyses of what the results of the 2024 election may indicate for the future of libraries and library work. Allison Jennings-Roche of the University of Baltimore and Paul Jaeger of the University of Maryland are serving as the guest editors of this Special Issue.
Submissions are welcome from all levels of library professionals, administrators, educators, researchers, policy analysts, and library stakeholders. Submissions are welcome about, but are not limited to Advocacy, Lobbying, Fundraising, Rhetoric and Messaging, Law and Policy, Historical Context, Community Engagement, and other perspectives through which to better understand the implications of the 2024 election.
Submissions of complete papers of any length are welcome and should conform to the journal's style and formatting guidelines at the time of submission. Authors are encouraged to review recent issues when preparing their paper. Submissions of complete papers for the Special Issue will be accepted until February 1, 2025 and should be submitted through the journal site, noting on a cover page that the submission is intended for this special issue. Given the urgent need for this special issue, the review process will be expedited and submissions that require limited editing and revision will be prioritized for publication.