The American Library Association creates a task force to protect LGBTQ+ books

 

The American Library Association (ALA) is on a mission to protect LGBTQ+ librarians in the U.S. It recently created a task force to address the ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQ+ library workers.

Amid record-high book bans and numerous attempts to defund or shut down libraries across the country, it has been fighting to enhance access to books and information. 

In 2023, more than 4,200 books were targeted for censorship in schools and libraries in the U.S., with over 1,200 challenges to books and resources in public libraries. 

The fight to protect access to books comes amid a book banning boom, with an alarming increase in attempts to censor books in K-12 schools, universities and public libraries. 

Many of these efforts seek to pull books with LGBTQ+ characters or themes and are part of a broader, Republican-led movement to chisel away at the rights and status of LGBTQ+ Americans.

Each attempt to ban a book represents a direct attack on every person’s right to freely choose what books to read and what ideas to explore, and to suppress the voices of LGBTQ+ community.