Anybody age 16 or older can use the Library of Congress with no charge or particular permission by buying a reader card. However as a result of it’s a analysis library and never a lending library, supplies can’t be checked out. Customers are likely to do particular analysis on the LOC or go to see distinctive and uncommon treasures that they could in any other case have by no means had the chance to. A number of the LOC’s supplies can be found for view while not having to truly register, as these gadgets are on show.

A number of extra of the issues that the Library of Congress affords are packages, together with the Nationwide Guide Competition; entry to world cultural paperwork by means of the World Digital Library; state-of-the-art preservation of audio and visible supplies; and promotion of studying, literacy, and libraries by means of its Heart for the Guide.

What Does The Librarian of Congress Do?

The Library of Congress could have gotten its begin in 1800, however it could take two extra years earlier than an official Workplace of the Library was established. Thomas Jefferson appointed the primary librarian in 1802. By the tip of the century although, the ability of who may appoint the Librarian of Congress shifted. Whereas the president chooses the Librarian, that Librarian have to be accepted by Senate.

There have solely been 14 Librarians of Congress all through historical past. That’s as a result of till 2015, these within the position had no time period limits. The “Librarian of Congress Succession Modernization Act of 2015” handed by Congress and President Barack Obama put a 10-year time period restrict on the position, although Librarians might be reappointed.

The Librarian of Congress wants no {qualifications} for the position, and most of the people who’ve held the position haven’t been librarians nor had a background in librarianship. A number of makes an attempt to make the Librarian of Congress position accessible solely to these with the coaching and training in librarianship have been made by means of historical past, however none have succeeded.

Among the many duties of the Librarian of Congress embrace setting the foundations and laws guiding the LOC, accepting and utilizing presents and cash for the wants and pursuits of the LOC, and guaranteeing that the Library achieves its mission. The Librarian serves as a liaison between the Library and its institutional function and the federal government. This isn’t considerably totally different than a Director position in some other library, although it’s on the federal degree. It’s a nonpartisan, although deeply political, position.

The Librarian of Congress additionally appoints the US Poet Laureate, presently Ada Limón.

Dr. Carla Hayden was the primary girl and first Black American to be appointed to the position of Librarian of Congress in 2016. She was additionally the primary Librarian of Congress to have conventional librarian credentials and to have labored a librarian all through her total profession. Her time period would have expired in 2026 and given the state of the administration, would probably not have been continued for one more time period. However her untimely firing got here as a shock, particularly as Hayden’s tenure was not just one which showcased important efforts in modernizing the library but in addition introduced the library to the folks. She was energetic and engaged with residents throughout the nation and energetic in selling the sources accessible to Individuals by means of the LOC.

Why This Establishment and Why Now?

As of writing, Trump has issued a number of Government Orders associated to AI, together with eradicating boundaries to American management by means of AI; pushing American AI dominance; and pushing AI onto younger folks by means of the faculties–this one, after all, tied on to the dismantling of the Division of Training and destruction of public faculties extra broadly. Pressure the poor children in public faculties to discover ways to ask the AI machine how one can assume; enable the wealthy children in non-public spiritual faculties paid for by public tax cash through vouchers to discover ways to assume inside the slender confines of white supremacy and Christian nationalist beliefs.

It’s also noteworthy that shoved into the huge Republican funds reconciliation invoice on the federal degree is a little bit piece of laws that may ban any laws on the state degree regulating AI. That 10 12 months ban would give loads of time to additionally enable this administration to see the place and the way the roles held by these in businesses just like the Library of Congress may very well be outsourced to machines.

Extra, taking up the Library of Congress would doubtlessly enable entry to scores of confidential analysis requests and sources supplied to members of Congress by the library. The probabilities right here, in addition to the probabilities of what the administration may do with unfettered entry to the Regulation Library are chilling.

Desirous about this administration like a cult is a helpful framework for answering lots of the whys and why nows. None of those choices are made out of details or data, and no quantity of arguing about what data they’re sharing about these establishments issues to them or their followers. Information and knowledge are the enemy, and that’s been clear since Trump laid out his targets for presidency years in the past. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s bold-faced lies about Hayden’s dismissal being associated to “concerning things that she had done at the Library of Congress in the pursuit of DEI and putting inappropriate books in the library for children” don’t matter as a result of that phrasing and rhetoric is about constructing a following and loyalty. It’s about social acceptance, not about details, proof, experience, or authority. Libraries and faculties are an enemy in such regimes and thus why they turn into early and simple targets.

What are you able to do at this level? It’s the identical belongings you’ve been doing all alongside. However provided that the Library of Congress is a part of the legislative department, it’s particularly essential to be reaching out to your federal Home and Senate representatives and demanding solutions, demanding pushback, and demanding accountability. For the primary time in a very long time, proper now we will instantly thank Congress for the LOC not but being ransacked as rapidly because the IMLS.

Guide Censorship Information: Might 16, 2025

The US Protection Secretary has, as of writing, misplaced 5 army plane, however he’s spending his time demanding all army establishments take away any DEI books by the tip of Might.

Tribal libraries threat shedding most of their federal funding, that means that a number of the most vital libraries within the nation (and the patrons who most profit from libraries) will likely be left with few choices or alternatives for persevering with their companies.

We’re seeing cuts to Tribal libraries in Alaska already.

Sumner County Libraries (TN) already bar anybody below the age of 18 from accessing grownup supplies within the assortment with out parental permission. A brand new coverage the board desires to shove by means of? Letting the board be the deciding issue on all new ebook purchases. Board members largely do not need any data or experience on this skilled librarian obligation. They do have a vested partisan curiosity, although!

A have a look at the lady who’s on a mission to ban all books in public faculties in South Carolina by herself . . . and he or she’s been fairly profitable by going on to the State Division of Training.

Malinda Lo asks why intercourse is so scary to ebook banners.

The ACLU, on behalf of six households, is making an attempt to get books reinstalled at Division of Protection Training Exercise faculties. The youngsters have been pushing again on this banning so exhausting.

“Nacogdoches ISD cleared up the misunderstanding In a Facebook post the district says, no books have been removed or banned. Some titles have been placed on the other side of the counter in the high school’s library and now require a parent’s permission.” On this Texas faculty district, they need it clear they’re not banning books. They’re merely censoring them by means of restriction. (Revisit: It’s Nonetheless Censorship Even If It’s Not Banned). Right here’s one other piece concerning the pushback this choice acquired from the group.

Columbia County, Georgia, pulled their public library from a regional system which granted entry to interlibrary loans throughout many different libraries. Why? Properly, as a result of these different libraries didn’t like that Columbia County banned books. That’s the rationale they’re giving, however it’s actually that the library board didn’t like that their patrons may probably entry these books and bypass their private ban. Extra on this story right here.

“Jackson County Commissioners recently discussed leaving the Fontana Regional Library System, citing issues with “left-leaning content” in addition to what they name basic mismanagement.” An identical story of a library’s board pondering that leaving a library system is the answer to additional censoring supplies. This time, North Carolina (and I don’t imagine that is the primary time this technique has been threatened this manner).

A New Hanover County, North Carolina, mother or father tried to get the ebook Blended by Sharon Draper faraway from the district, however the board mentioned it could keep. Now she’s interesting the choice. This district has a historical past with ebook banning, and there have been latest protests over it.

The mother or father behind the problem of Blended (see above) is feeling focused now for submitting the problem. . . she’s a member of the New Hanover College District faculty board.

Recall that St. Francis Space Colleges District (MN–the place there’s an anti-book ban legislation) made it their coverage to pick and evaluate gadgets based mostly on the Mothers For Liberty slapdash evaluate website BookLooks . . . which is now defunct. College students, mother and father, and educators proceed to battle again in opposition to this censorship.

Libraries within the UK are dealing with extra calls to ban LGBTQ+ books.

As a result of the Alabama Public Library Service can not get Fairhope Public Library to ban books they don’t like, they’re introducing some new guidelines to outright ban trans supplies from public libraries for anybody below the age of 18.

Learn Freely Alabama has a improbable op-ed concerning the methods the chief of the Alabama Public Library Service–additionally president of the state Republican get together–is gaslighting residents throughout the state.

The Florida Division of Training despatched a letter to Hillsborough County Colleges final week claiming they haven’t eliminated so-called “pornographic and inappropriate books” from a number of the excessive faculties. That is over two books, and it’s vital to notice it’s in direct contradiction to the state’s personal earlier assertions that enforcement is as much as the native districts and never the state.

The Texas Home has superior a ebook banning invoice in public libraries. Bear in mind: there is no such thing as a obscene nor pornographic materials in libraries.

“Some books in Alamance County libraries [NC] may be marked with a bright, yellow sticker in the near future as the Alamance County Commissioners approved a content warning labeling policy.” The best way this works is any bigot can complain a couple of ebook and say it wants a label, then “high-ranking staff members” will make a last choice. This can be a huge legal responsibility and flies within the face of public librarianship ethics and greatest practices.

Bear in mind Patmos Library in Michigan, the place the library was defunded by a small variety of voters shilling “groomer” rhetoric over a number of LGBTQ+ books? The place the funding was then returned? The library is presently closed for the instant future, because the board elected into workplace in November has been so oppressive that FIVE workers members give up.

A person burns 100 Beachwood Public Library (OH) books on Jewish, African American, LGBTQ+ training. Don’t be fooled–this sort of conduct will improve throughout Delight.

In excellent news following the above story, the group stepped up with donations.

This story is paywalled, however there’s sufficient data right here to share: Delaware is one step nearer to passing an anti-book ban invoice.

Likewise, the Rhode Island Senate simply handed their anti-book ban invoice, bringing it one step nearer to legislation.

Spanish Fort Public Library (AL) is creating new restrictions to materials within the public library. This story is paywalled and as of writing, the one different outlet overlaying it’s a far-right one within the state.

“The proposal would streamline the process of pulling books from shelves. Under the proposed policy, if a book is determined to be “obscene,” it could be eliminated inside three days and be topic to a faculty board listening to.” This can be a proposed coverage in Redlands Colleges (CA). Bear in mind, California has an anti-book ban coverage, however that’s solely pretty much as good as its enforcement. This coverage would undermine the whole factor.

Anderson County Libraries (SC) have delayed voting on a brand new assortment coverage that may make banning books within the public library district simpler.

As a result of IMLS cuts and funding cuts on the state degree, 50 Washington State Library employees will likely be shedding their jobs. This specific sequence of cuts would devastate entry to supplies for the blind and print disabled throughout the state.

Now that one of many greatest transphobes and ebook banners is now not on the Katy Impartial College District (TX) faculty board, group members are asking for a return of books and overturning of anti-trans insurance policies.

The college librarian at Lowell Space Colleges (MI) is suing one of many of us who has been harassing her and calling her quite a lot of names for, you already know, being a librarian on this period. You’ll be able to assist by donating to offset the prices of the lawsuit right here, for those who’re .

Rockingham County College Board (VA) simply banned Good by Ellen Hopkins and Tweak by Nic Sheff. These books are outdated, y’all.

Horry County Libraries (SC) are reclassifying books to satisfy the provisions of the state legislation handed final 12 months. In different phrases, censorship by relocation happening right here.

In what’s some fairly large information, the anti-drag legislation handed in Florida is probably going unconstitutional, per federal court docket. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see what the ramifications are for this ruling in different states which have banned drag.

I Am Billie Jean King has been banned from Lexington-Richmond 5 faculty libraries (SC) as a result of there’s a depiction of a same-sex relationship.

“The Pine Richland Education Association, along with the Pennsylvania State Education Association, issued a vote of no confidence in the majority of the district’s board of directors.” That is the Pennsylvania faculty district board creating ebook banning coverage relatively than tackling precise points.

A small contingent of Collier County, Florida, mother and father are mad a couple of biology textbook accepted for the district that talks about, properly, science.

This story is paywalled, however republicans making an attempt to push new restrictions on supplies–particularly LGBTQ+ ones–in Kent Memorial Library (CT) have dropped their plans. I do know they need to be heralded as champions and affordable now, however it was a waste of time and vitality from the get go.

Mothers For Liberty in Guilford County, North Carolina, have lodged a criticism in Summerfield Elementary College over And Tango Makes Three. They declare that the ebook is in opposition to North Carolina state legislation.