Public libraries are more than repositories for books—they are pillars of democracy, offering free access to information, internet connectivity, job and education resources, and safe spaces for civic dialogue and community connection. Yet today, these vital institutions are under coordinated and escalating attack.
At the national level, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)—the primary federal agency supporting libraries and museums—is facing unprecedented threats. Proposed federal budgets have called for the elimination of IMLS entirely, and recent reporting by The New York Times and NPR has highlighted political interference by a newly appointed, ideologically motivated board. Dismantling IMLS would destabilize a funding infrastructure that supports more than 120,000 public and school libraries nationwide.
These cuts would be devastating—especially for rural, under-resourced, and historically marginalized communities, where libraries often serve as the only accessible source for digital tools, educational programming, and lifelong learning.
At the same time, local libraries across the country are facing funding threats and political retaliation for refusing to censor inclusive content. Many have suffered from harassment, bomb threats, and even violence against staff, simply for upholding the right to read and the principle of open access.
The consequences are not abstract—they are happening now. What’s under attack is not only funding, but the very foundation of a free and informed society.
We stand with public libraries and the librarians, educators, and community members who defend them every day. Because when libraries are under attack, democracy is under threat.
The United States is facing a surge in book bans not seen in decades. According to The Guardian and The New York Times, over 4,000 titles were challenged or removed in the last year alone. These bans disproportionately target books that explore race, LGBTQ+ identities, and historical injustice. Often driven by ideologically motivated advocacy groups, censorship is accelerating through vague or poorly worded state laws that give wide discretion to remove books from schools and libraries.
Florida, Texas, Missouri, and Iowa are among the states where legislation has allowed or even mandated removals of titles deemed “inappropriate”—without clear standards or due process. In some cases, books were banned simply for containing depictions of racism or gender identity. Graphic novels, classics, and modern young adult literature have all been targeted.
This censorship not only threatens education, it also dehumanizes students whose lives and identities are erased from the curriculum.
FTLF monitors and analyzes legislation in all 50 states. In 2024 and 2025, more than 130 bills have been introduced that threaten the availability of books in schools, criminalize library staff, or require state oversight of curriculum and reading materials.
Key Trends:
According to the First Amendment Encyclopedia at Middle Tennessee State University, these laws are legally dubious and conflict with decades of Supreme Court precedent that protects student access to ideas.
We fight these laws in legislatures, courtrooms, and communities.
At FTLF, we refuse to stand by while access to information is stripped away. We believe:
📚 Books are bridges, not battlegrounds—they open minds, foster empathy, and connect us across differences.
🌎 Every student deserves access to diverse voices, histories, and identities that reflect their reality and expand their understanding.
🏛️ Public libraries and public schools are sacred spaces in a democracy—defunding or restricting them weakens our communities.
🗽 Intellectual freedom isn’t just a value—it’s a constitutional right we must actively defend.
👥 Every person deserves access to stories, facts, and perspectives that reflect the full spectrum of the human experience.
The fight for the freedom to learn needs you. Here’s how you can take action today:
🚨 Censorship and attacks on our libraries are spreading. The time to act is NOW. Stand with the Freedom to Learn Foundation and help us ensure that every individual—regardless of race, background, or belief—has the right to read, learn, and grow.
📢 Join us today. Defend the right to learn. Protect the future of knowledge.
