Librarian and new Reading Rainbow host Mychal Threets served as honorary chair for this year’s National Library Week. The theme, Find Your Joy, offered an opportunity for the public to express the various ways they find joy in their libraries through books, information sources, community events, and helpful staff. ALA encouraged the public to convey their joy of libraries through drawings, paintings, poems, essays, photos, videos, and song. The association offered English and Spanish tools, artwork, graphics, bookmarks, and posters to libraries celebrating National Library Week.

Coinciding with the celebration, on April 20, ALA issued The State of America’s Libraries: A Snapshot of 2025, presenting discussions of censorship, libraries as community literacy hubs, serving incarcerated people and those re-entering society, and supporting democratic values. Sam Helmick, 2025–2026 ALA president, noted in the report that “communities turn to libraries for books, telemedicine, workforce development, and safe harbor during crises.”

The Right to Read

On Right to Read Day, ALA announced the 11 most challenged books of 2025. The State of America’s Libraries report says that more than 90% of challenges came from pressure groups and government decision makers; only 2.7% came from parents and 1.4% from library patrons. Patricia McCormick’s 2006 novel Sold was the most challenged title in 2025. Eight of the top 11 challenged books last year were by women and nonbinary authors, and 40% of the 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025 “represent the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ people and people of color.” This was the second highest number of titles challenged; 2023 saw the highest (4,240). 

This year’s National Library Week celebrations were overshadowed by an escalation in book bans. Pro-censorship bills, tracked by ALA, prevent “objectionable” works in libraries or schools and penalize libraries and library workers. Public and school librarians have faced threats, and some have resigned due to stress. Librarians in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada have reported abuse over “inappropriate” content in their collections.

In recent months, concerns have shifted from local book bans in Iowa, Texas, and Utah to a national book ban bill that was passed by the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce on March 17. The Stop the Sexualization of Children Act (HR 7661) seeks to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 “to prohibit the use of funds provided under such Act to develop, implement, facilitate, host, or promote any program or activity for, or to provide or promote literature or other materials to, children under the age of 18 that includes sexually oriented material, and for other purposes.” These legislative efforts ignore studies showing that book bans impede learning. The Censorship Cases Bot on Bluesky, in partnership with the Free Law Project, provides real-time updates on book censorship litigation.

Another recent shift is how one determines that a book should be banned. Once, individuals who challenged books read them or consulted reviews. Today, AI-powered tools like Class-Shelf Plus and Bookmarked flag “controversial” books in school libraries. AI-generated reviews may be appended to book challenges presented by conservative groups to district authorities “to justify formal challenges to their availability in school classrooms and libraries.” 

Advocating for Continuous Library Funding

Localities fund public libraries through ballot initiatives to raise taxes in support of new library buildings and facility expansions. As communities face competing priorities for their tax dollars, this support at the polls could wane.

A second revenue stream, of federal grants for states to administer, is uncertain. After a year of court cases battling an administration that cut funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), library advocacy efforts focus on FY2027 library funding. The Trump administration opted for zero IMLS funding in its FY2027 budget, so librarians began lobbying members of the House Appropriations Committee for Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding to be distributed to states through discretionary grant programs. States use this funding to provide resources to its population for a range of programs like digital access and summer reading.

Let the Sunshine In

A month before Library Week, the U.S. celebrated government transparency during Sunshine Week (March 15–21). Since 2005, Americans have used Sunshine Week to highlight the importance of public records and open government. Access to government information is a pillar of a democratic society, ensuring the public remains informed and empowered to hold institutions accountable.

Reporter Daniel Walton reminds us that “getting communications records from local governments can be a challenge.” This applies to all government levels and record types. Most challenges arise from the lack of specificity in sharing records—What’s the meaning of “promptly”?—and the increasing number of exceptions to the rules. Charging fees for staff time spent processing public record requests can discourage requesters. An example is the $70/hour fee for Key Biscayne, Florida, records.

Further compounding the issue of government disclosures is that the public can miss notices if their placement doesn’t evolve. Using technology to create draft transcripts and near-simultaneous translation of government meeting discussions could significantly enhance public understanding of government workings.

Sunshine is important for understanding current and past governmental activities. The Presidential Records Act (PRA), enacted in 1978, “partly in response to questions around the ownership and disposal of President Richard Nixon’s presidential papers,” states that “any records generated during a Presidential administration documenting the constitutional, statutory or ceremonial duties of the Presidency are the property of the United States.”

An April 1, 2026, Justice Department memo declaring the PRA unconstitutional impinges on public access to presidential records. The American Historical Association has taken the administration to court, petitioning a federal judge to “block people inside the government from trashing presidential materials.”

Beyond Advocating for Libraries

On Take Action for Libraries Day, ALA encouraged library staffers and patrons to contact elected officials to support libraries. The effort needs to be sustained throughout the year and broadened to emphasize access to information that is vital to democracy.