Supportive Library Legislation Updates
Illinois and Rhode Island each have pending legislation that would strengthen and support libraries in the state. Illinois’s proposed bill tackles the perpetual eBook problem and would stop publishers from overcharging libraries for digital materials, as well as limit the number of eBook software licenses a library can purchase. Rhode Island’s bill, meanwhile, would require every public school in the state to have a dedicated library and a certified school librarian. Of course, the big question for Rhode Island revolves around funding, but I still appreciate seeing bills like this that recognize the importance of school libraries for all students.
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Book Bans Reach Canada
Obviously, the US isn’t the only country dealing with book bans and censorship issues, but we’re starting to see a lot of noise coming out of Alberta recently. Proposed legislation would modify Alberta’s existing laws and allow the Municipal Affairs Minister to initiate reviews of public libraries, as well as set up rules around access to library materials, and not surprisingly, library workers are Not. Having. It. This is the first proposed legislation of its kind in Canada, and the Canadian Urban Libraries Council is urging the government to leave the existing legislation alone. Alberta, this is a dangerous road you’re going down. Public libraries do not provide access to inappropriate materials, and you need to leave the operations of public libraries to trained library staff.
Celebrating 40 Years of American Girl
Did you all know American Girl was turning 40 this year?? Because I sure didn’t! From about age 8 to age 13, I lived and breathed everything American Girl, from the original series to the magazine to the doll catalog that got mailed to my house a couple of times a year. (I sadly never owned an actual AG doll, because holy cow, they were expensive, but that catalog was the stuff of dreams.) I love that American Girl is still going strong! Happy 40th AG, and don’t mind me — I’m just going to go in the corner and have an existential crisis about the passing of time.