State laws can have a damaging impact on communities' ability to access resources from public and school libraries. It is crucial to consider the views of state legislators towards libraries when voting in local elections and to speak out about library issues that are important to you. State policymakers have the authority to determine how funds are allocated, making it essential to advocate for a portion of the budget to be dedicated to public and school libraries.
Recently, a disturbing trend has emerged in state legislatures, with the introduction of laws that aim to ban books and restrict access to information. These laws often aim to criminalize librarians for providing access to specific books, increase penalties for existing obscenity laws, establish rating systems for booksellers, and limit First Amendment freedoms by censoring authors. This trend is expected to continue in 2026.
Here is what you, as a voter, can do to prevent these laws from harming your community's ability to access tools and resources from public and school libraries.
- Consider the views of state legislators toward libraries when voting in local elections, as state officials determine how federal grants and state budgets are used to keep local libraries funded.
- Speak out about library issues that are important to you to help ensure that they are funded.
- Advocate for a portion of the state budget to be allocated for public and school libraries.
Impact on Public and School Libraries
State governments have the authority to enact statewide legislation impacting public and school libraries. Public libraries face state regulations through bills that attempt to criminalize librarians for providing access to books and materials. On the other hand, school libraries are subject to legislation concerning changes to the curriculum and library materials that restrict free speech. While school and public libraries face different forms of regulation from state policymakers, the impact is often the same, resulting in greater censorship and less access to library resources and materials.
Impact on State Library Associations
In the wake of book ban legislation, many state library associations face critical challenges, making it even more difficult to advocate for libraries and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. EveryLibrary provides advocacy support to its coalition partners. Still, it also relies on voters like you to help achieve these goals by spreading awareness of the issues and donating to the cause.
Impact on Students' Rights
Certain state legislatures threaten students' rights by claiming that teens and young adults cannot make reading choices for themselves. This issue is especially prevalent among LGBTQ+ teens who may not have parental support at home and look to library books and materials for guidance and advice. Many state legislatures around the country have attempted to legitimize the parental rights argument at the forefront of book bans and material challenges by introducing legislation that hinders students' rights. This idea is further perpetuated by state legislatures encouraging parents to use websites like BookLooks to review the content of books for sexually explicit material and what they deem to be objectionable content.
It is important to remember that your voice matters in shaping the type of legislation that is introduced in your state. As state legislatures introduce new bills this year, it is crucial to speak out about library issues that are important to you to protect essential freedoms and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.