@readfreelyal.bsky.social
📢 This week the APLS board added yet another amendment to the state code to further restrict access for minors. 📢
➡️ The board will now force libraries to limit access for those under 18 via default restricted minor cards.
www.alreporter.com/2025/11/21/a...
➡️ The board will now force libraries to limit access for those under 18 via default restricted minor cards.
www.alreporter.com/2025/11/21/a...
APLS bans transgender depictions in youth books, delays Fairhope funding
The board also voted to require all libraries to offer youth library cards with restricted access.
www.alreporter.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:36 PM
📢 This week the APLS board added yet another amendment to the state code to further restrict access for minors. 📢
➡️ The board will now force libraries to limit access for those under 18 via default restricted minor cards.
www.alreporter.com/2025/11/21/a...
➡️ The board will now force libraries to limit access for those under 18 via default restricted minor cards.
www.alreporter.com/2025/11/21/a...
⚠️This investigative piece out of Maine shows a very familiar playbook from the same national, billionaire-backed organizations.⚠️
➡️A mirror what is happening in our public libraries.
➡️ A preview of what has already begun in our public school boards. www.centralmaine.com/2025/11/19/p...
➡️A mirror what is happening in our public libraries.
➡️ A preview of what has already begun in our public school boards. www.centralmaine.com/2025/11/19/p...
Parents’ rights groups, backed by conservative funders, bring fight to Maine school boards
The Gardiner-area school board is one of many across the state being confronted with organized, sometimes disruptive, efforts to remake education.
www.centralmaine.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:07 PM
⚠️This investigative piece out of Maine shows a very familiar playbook from the same national, billionaire-backed organizations.⚠️
➡️A mirror what is happening in our public libraries.
➡️ A preview of what has already begun in our public school boards. www.centralmaine.com/2025/11/19/p...
➡️A mirror what is happening in our public libraries.
➡️ A preview of what has already begun in our public school boards. www.centralmaine.com/2025/11/19/p...
Despite his claims to be in favor of keeping control of library collections with local library boards and parents, APLS/ALGOP Chairman John Wahl intends to read each of the ten books in question at the center of the fight over Fairhope Public Library's state funding.
www.al.com/news/2025/11...
www.al.com/news/2025/11...
Alabama library board finalizes transgender book restrictions, delays Fairhope funding
With restrictions in place will the state fund the Fairhope library?
www.al.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Despite his claims to be in favor of keeping control of library collections with local library boards and parents, APLS/ALGOP Chairman John Wahl intends to read each of the ten books in question at the center of the fight over Fairhope Public Library's state funding.
www.al.com/news/2025/11...
www.al.com/news/2025/11...
After referring to the Fairhope Public Library as a "bad apple," "bad actors" and "acting in bad faith," APLS/ALGOP Chairman John Wahl said he plans to personally read and review all ten books in question and report back to the APLS board with his findings.
alabamareflector.com/2025/11/21/a...
alabamareflector.com/2025/11/21/a...
Alabama library board bans 'gender ideology;' punts on Fairhope funding | Alabama Reflector
The administrative code changes go beyond the original proposal, and not only deal with gender ideology but also library cards for minors.
alabamareflector.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:21 PM
After referring to the Fairhope Public Library as a "bad apple," "bad actors" and "acting in bad faith," APLS/ALGOP Chairman John Wahl said he plans to personally read and review all ten books in question and report back to the APLS board with his findings.
alabamareflector.com/2025/11/21/a...
alabamareflector.com/2025/11/21/a...
Yesterday the APLS voted to restrict materials with transgender characters from minors sections of Alabama libraries, as well as prevent their purchase going forward.
See Read Freely Alabama's joint statement here: www.readfreelyalabama.org/statement_ap...
See Read Freely Alabama's joint statement here: www.readfreelyalabama.org/statement_ap...
Statement on Discriminatory APLS Code Change
Supporting the Right to Read in All Alabama Libraries
www.readfreelyalabama.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Yesterday the APLS voted to restrict materials with transgender characters from minors sections of Alabama libraries, as well as prevent their purchase going forward.
See Read Freely Alabama's joint statement here: www.readfreelyalabama.org/statement_ap...
See Read Freely Alabama's joint statement here: www.readfreelyalabama.org/statement_ap...
‼️After months of denying due process to the Fairhope Public Library's funding, we are shocked to hear that Wahl and the stacked APLS board have already spent half of those funds elsewhere.‼️
Via Ralph Chapoco: Fairhope Public Library has permanently lost over $20,000 in state funding that the Alabama Public Library Service Board had withheld since March amid disputes over library materials found in the teen section. https://ow.ly/poz150Xs1KJ
November 17, 2025 at 2:17 PM
‼️After months of denying due process to the Fairhope Public Library's funding, we are shocked to hear that Wahl and the stacked APLS board have already spent half of those funds elsewhere.‼️
📢 Mark your calendar! 🗓️
Join us Nov. 20th for this critical APLS Executive Board meeting at 6030 Monticello Drive in Montgomery.
👉🏼Sign up to speak with the link in the comments!
👉🏼Help us pack the room to support Alabama libraries and the freedom to read!
👉🏼Spread the word!
Join us Nov. 20th for this critical APLS Executive Board meeting at 6030 Monticello Drive in Montgomery.
👉🏼Sign up to speak with the link in the comments!
👉🏼Help us pack the room to support Alabama libraries and the freedom to read!
👉🏼Spread the word!
November 10, 2025 at 3:07 PM
📢 Mark your calendar! 🗓️
Join us Nov. 20th for this critical APLS Executive Board meeting at 6030 Monticello Drive in Montgomery.
👉🏼Sign up to speak with the link in the comments!
👉🏼Help us pack the room to support Alabama libraries and the freedom to read!
👉🏼Spread the word!
Join us Nov. 20th for this critical APLS Executive Board meeting at 6030 Monticello Drive in Montgomery.
👉🏼Sign up to speak with the link in the comments!
👉🏼Help us pack the room to support Alabama libraries and the freedom to read!
👉🏼Spread the word!
Chairman Wahl's use of the ALGOP, of which he is also the chair, to push his agenda against libraries is a conflict of interest and an abuse of authority. Read more here:
October 22, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Chairman Wahl's use of the ALGOP, of which he is also the chair, to push his agenda against libraries is a conflict of interest and an abuse of authority. Read more here:
Reposted
🚨 In or near #Huntsville, #Alabama❓RSVP to join our discussion on threats to our libraries tomorrow: https://bit.ly/4pXqP8g
What you'll take away ⬇️
Info about the divisive topics surrounding libraries & how we can stand together to protect them.
What you'll take away ⬇️
Info about the divisive topics surrounding libraries & how we can stand together to protect them.
October 8, 2025 at 10:00 PM
🚨 In or near #Huntsville, #Alabama❓RSVP to join our discussion on threats to our libraries tomorrow: https://bit.ly/4pXqP8g
What you'll take away ⬇️
Info about the divisive topics surrounding libraries & how we can stand together to protect them.
What you'll take away ⬇️
Info about the divisive topics surrounding libraries & how we can stand together to protect them.
Only 8 DAYS remain to send your letter to the Alabama Public Library Service to oppose the amendment to ban positive depictions of transgender people in Alabama libraries.
Use our online letter here and share with friends!
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
Use our online letter here and share with friends!
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
Tell the Alabama Public Library Services Board: Reject the Proposed Administrative Code Amendment
Supporting the Right to Read in All Alabama Libraries
www.readfreelyalabama.org
October 6, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Only 8 DAYS remain to send your letter to the Alabama Public Library Service to oppose the amendment to ban positive depictions of transgender people in Alabama libraries.
Use our online letter here and share with friends!
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
Use our online letter here and share with friends!
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
Extremists are now demanding that books discussing sexual orientation be banned from Alabama libraries.‼️This would mean books such as “Heather Has Two Mommies,”would be BANNED by forbidding their purchase.‼️
Send your letter to APLS today w this link:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
Send your letter to APLS today w this link:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
September 25, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Extremists are now demanding that books discussing sexual orientation be banned from Alabama libraries.‼️This would mean books such as “Heather Has Two Mommies,”would be BANNED by forbidding their purchase.‼️
Send your letter to APLS today w this link:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
Send your letter to APLS today w this link:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
‼️ACT NOW! Tell the extremist Alabama Public Library Service executive board not to ban LGBTQ materials from public libraries ‼️
Don’t let this unconstitutional censorship stand.
Send your letter here:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
Don’t let this unconstitutional censorship stand.
Send your letter here:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
Tell the Alabama Public Library Services Board: Reject the Proposed Administrative Code Amendment
Supporting the Right to Read in All Alabama Libraries
www.readfreelyalabama.org
September 9, 2025 at 7:27 PM
‼️ACT NOW! Tell the extremist Alabama Public Library Service executive board not to ban LGBTQ materials from public libraries ‼️
Don’t let this unconstitutional censorship stand.
Send your letter here:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
Don’t let this unconstitutional censorship stand.
Send your letter here:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/apls_oct2025...
Notice anything new? 😏 RFA has a fresh new logo! And that means NEW MERCH 👕🧢🥤🛍️
‼️in honor of Banned Books Week we are offering 10% with the code BANNEDBOOKS10 ‼️
www.bonfire.com/store/read-f...
‼️in honor of Banned Books Week we are offering 10% with the code BANNEDBOOKS10 ‼️
www.bonfire.com/store/read-f...
Read Freely Alabama | Official Merchandise | Bonfire
Read Freely Alabama is a volunteer group of concerned citizens who oppose censorship in our local libraries. As the scale of censorship efforts
www.bonfire.com
September 8, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Notice anything new? 😏 RFA has a fresh new logo! And that means NEW MERCH 👕🧢🥤🛍️
‼️in honor of Banned Books Week we are offering 10% with the code BANNEDBOOKS10 ‼️
www.bonfire.com/store/read-f...
‼️in honor of Banned Books Week we are offering 10% with the code BANNEDBOOKS10 ‼️
www.bonfire.com/store/read-f...
It's clear that extremism and book banning are not a winning platform in the eyes of Alabama voters. 🎉
www.alreporter.com/2025/08/27/f...
www.alreporter.com/2025/08/27/f...
Fairhope council candidates backed by book banners go 1 for 5
Candidates backed by groups supporting book relocation at Fairhope Public Library faced election, with only one securing a victory.
www.alreporter.com
August 27, 2025 at 3:08 PM
It's clear that extremism and book banning are not a winning platform in the eyes of Alabama voters. 🎉
www.alreporter.com/2025/08/27/f...
www.alreporter.com/2025/08/27/f...
"A belief system that cannot withstand questions, that must silence difficult stories rather than engage with them, is a belief system built on fear. If faith is real—if it is strong—then it should be able to hold its own in conversation with literature."
nonprofitquarterly.org/madeleine-le...
nonprofitquarterly.org/madeleine-le...
Madeleine L’Engle’s Books Were Never Meant to Be “Safe” - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly
The granddaughter of beloved writer Madeleine L’Engle, author of one of the most banned books of the last 60 years, advocates that books should build courage, not keep us “safe.”
nonprofitquarterly.org
August 26, 2025 at 7:04 PM
"A belief system that cannot withstand questions, that must silence difficult stories rather than engage with them, is a belief system built on fear. If faith is real—if it is strong—then it should be able to hold its own in conversation with literature."
nonprofitquarterly.org/madeleine-le...
nonprofitquarterly.org/madeleine-le...
‼️A huge win for the freedom to read!‼️
bookriot.com/penguin-rand...
bookriot.com/penguin-rand...
"None Of These Books Are Obscene": Judge Strikes Down Much of Florida's Book Ban Bill
In a major win for intellectual freedom, a judge rules against Florida law that led to removing hundreds of books from school libraries.
bookriot.com
August 14, 2025 at 9:04 PM
‼️A huge win for the freedom to read!‼️
bookriot.com/penguin-rand...
bookriot.com/penguin-rand...
📢We’ve shared before that Moms for Liberty, Eagle Forum, and Alabama Policy Institute are all official 2025 Coalition Partners. 📢
‼️Now, a leaked database shows how prominent leaders in these organization strongly encouraged supporters to apply to be a part of Project 2025. ‼️https://bit.ly/4l2bL5o
‼️Now, a leaked database shows how prominent leaders in these organization strongly encouraged supporters to apply to be a part of Project 2025. ‼️https://bit.ly/4l2bL5o
July 29, 2025 at 5:33 PM
📢We’ve shared before that Moms for Liberty, Eagle Forum, and Alabama Policy Institute are all official 2025 Coalition Partners. 📢
‼️Now, a leaked database shows how prominent leaders in these organization strongly encouraged supporters to apply to be a part of Project 2025. ‼️https://bit.ly/4l2bL5o
‼️Now, a leaked database shows how prominent leaders in these organization strongly encouraged supporters to apply to be a part of Project 2025. ‼️https://bit.ly/4l2bL5o
Today we remember those who fought to hold the United States accountable to the ideals laid out in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
Happy Fourth of July.
#constitutionalrights #readfreelyalabama #july4th
Happy Fourth of July.
#constitutionalrights #readfreelyalabama #july4th
July 4, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Today we remember those who fought to hold the United States accountable to the ideals laid out in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
Happy Fourth of July.
#constitutionalrights #readfreelyalabama #july4th
Happy Fourth of July.
#constitutionalrights #readfreelyalabama #july4th
Who’s really behind book bans?
It’s not just concerned parents… 72% of book censorship efforts come from pressure groups and government officials. Only 16% come from parents, and 12% from others like teachers or library users.
#FreedomToRead #StopBookBans #FactsMatter #LetBooksBe #ProtectLibraries
It’s not just concerned parents… 72% of book censorship efforts come from pressure groups and government officials. Only 16% come from parents, and 12% from others like teachers or library users.
#FreedomToRead #StopBookBans #FactsMatter #LetBooksBe #ProtectLibraries
June 19, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Last night, the Fairhope Public Library Board met to discuss their decision on the books challenged by local Moms for Liberty extremists that resulted in the library being stripped of its state funding. www.al.com/news/2025/06...
Alabama official: Fairhope Library won’t regain funding without moving more books
Amy Minton says books with references to masturbation must be relocated to adult sections despite library board's determination that materials aren't sexually explicit. Minton's comments come after Fa...
www.al.com
June 17, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Last night, the Fairhope Public Library Board met to discuss their decision on the books challenged by local Moms for Liberty extremists that resulted in the library being stripped of its state funding. www.al.com/news/2025/06...
The Fifth Circuit Court’s recent ruling regarding the removal of books in Llano, Texas has made its rounds in Alabama. Read Freely Alabama wanted to clear up misinformation we’ve seen circulating among our anti-library extremists. While such radical rulings are concerning, context is important. 1/x
May 29, 2025 at 6:18 PM
The Fifth Circuit Court’s recent ruling regarding the removal of books in Llano, Texas has made its rounds in Alabama. Read Freely Alabama wanted to clear up misinformation we’ve seen circulating among our anti-library extremists. While such radical rulings are concerning, context is important. 1/x
For the past 3 months, thousands of Alabamians have joined Read Freely Alabama to work tirelessly to ensure that two bills that would have had devastating effects on libraries, HB4 and SB6, did not pass.
Read our post-legislative session statement here:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/2025_legisla...
Read our post-legislative session statement here:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/2025_legisla...
Anti-library bills dead in 2025 Alabama Legislative Session
Supporting the Right to Read in All Alabama Libraries
www.readfreelyalabama.org
May 15, 2025 at 8:39 PM
For the past 3 months, thousands of Alabamians have joined Read Freely Alabama to work tirelessly to ensure that two bills that would have had devastating effects on libraries, HB4 and SB6, did not pass.
Read our post-legislative session statement here:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/2025_legisla...
Read our post-legislative session statement here:
www.readfreelyalabama.org/2025_legisla...
We all want to protect children from inappropriate and sexually explicit material but it isn’t illegal for minors to read books on puberty, sex education, consent, or other complex topics. But that’s exactly what APLS Chair John Wahl is trying to do.
Read our op-ed: www.al.com/news/2025/05...
Read our op-ed: www.al.com/news/2025/05...
John Wahl is gaslighting Alabamians about library content: op-ed
It’s time we stand up to Wahl and demand his resignation.
www.al.com
May 13, 2025 at 2:39 AM
We all want to protect children from inappropriate and sexually explicit material but it isn’t illegal for minors to read books on puberty, sex education, consent, or other complex topics. But that’s exactly what APLS Chair John Wahl is trying to do.
Read our op-ed: www.al.com/news/2025/05...
Read our op-ed: www.al.com/news/2025/05...
Last week the state library board decided to accelerate their censorship efforts by expanding the definition of “inappropriate for children” to possibly include books with excessive violence, excessive drug use, things that are inappropriate for children that society recognizes on a daily basis.”
May 10, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Last week the state library board decided to accelerate their censorship efforts by expanding the definition of “inappropriate for children” to possibly include books with excessive violence, excessive drug use, things that are inappropriate for children that society recognizes on a daily basis.”