Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 1m

The good news is the guy helping is great, we figured out the problem, and I’ll be outta here in a couple hours. Better this than dead on the interstate!

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Reposted by skellyton bones jensen

skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 14h

Today's big story. Today's reminder that yes, state library associations *can* do something.

South Carolina school librarians have been fighting incredibly hard against the censorship bring brought across the state by their Education Superintendent and not being seen for it.

skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 19h

**NEW**

Today, the ACLU of South Carolina filed a lawsuit on behalf of public school students and school librarians. They're challenging the constitutionality of the state's book banning law and a memo outlining the state's content censorship policy.

bookriot.com/aclu-sc-laws...

Image of lady justice beside a stack of books.

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 7m

Great work on this, Frank!

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 7m

Shouldn’t be great news because it shouldn’t have happened at all, but this IS GREAT NEWS.

Frank Strong @frankstrong.bsky.social · 13h

GREAT NEWS from Leander ISD. To Kill a Mockingbird, House on Mango St, and Narrative of Life of Frederick Douglass will be returned to classrooms after a massive outcry. Thanks to everyone who spoke up!!!

From an email to teachers today:

*An important update regarding the books that
were previously paused from curriculum use as a
result of concerns around Senate Bill 12.
Thirty-six of the forty books are being reinstated
to the secondary curriculum book list, with
revisions made to the curriculum to ensure TEKS
alignment and compliance with SB 12. Four
titles, Stamped, Melissa (George), Gracefully
Grayson, and The 57 Bus, will remain paused for
additional review of curriculum alignment. Please
note that all books, including these four, should
remain available, or be returned if removed, to
classroom libraries for individual student choice
reading.

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 11m

Stahhhhhpppppp.

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 24m

The guy who drove with me thought it would be so I hope he’s right! An unexpected break on the trip 😂

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 29m

90 minutes into my 6.5 hour drive, my car decided it needed repairs ASAP. 😬😬😬

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 2h

Banned Books Week banned at your library? Tell me about it anonymously.

Also, sadly, you're not alone.

skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 1d

Has your library curtailed or outright banned anything related to Banned Books Week this year? I'm not talking that you're doing something else (i.e., freedom to read week). I'm talking YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING related to the topic.

Tell me about it anonymously --> tinyurl.com/banning-bbw25

Black text on a red and black background. It reads "Has your library banned events, displays, talks, or anything else related to banned books week this year? Share your story anonymously." It includes the survey link: https://tinyurl.com/banning-bbw-25

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 14h

Today's big story. Today's reminder that yes, state library associations *can* do something.

South Carolina school librarians have been fighting incredibly hard against the censorship bring brought across the state by their Education Superintendent and not being seen for it.

skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 19h

**NEW**

Today, the ACLU of South Carolina filed a lawsuit on behalf of public school students and school librarians. They're challenging the constitutionality of the state's book banning law and a memo outlining the state's content censorship policy.

bookriot.com/aclu-sc-laws...

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 14h

"Conservative bloggers to face Louisiana librarian again after court reverses lawsuit dismissal"

You're goddamn right, that librarian @librarianjones.com is getting the attempt at justice she so rightly deserves.

www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/...

Conservative bloggers to face Louisiana librarian again after court reverses lawsuit dismissal

Amanda Jones filed the lawsuit after a 2022 meeting of the Livingston Parish Library Board of Control, where discussions took place about restricting access to books that some attendees deemed inappro...

www.theadvocate.com

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 16h

Folks looking to talk about Banned Books and activism around protecting public institutions of democracy may want to join this chat tomorrow.

Going to gently insert that a state-level school librarian association did what we need to see more of: SUED over book bans.

bookriot.com/aclu-sc-laws...

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Reposted by skellyton bones jensen

skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 19h

**NEW**

Today, the ACLU of South Carolina filed a lawsuit on behalf of public school students and school librarians. They're challenging the constitutionality of the state's book banning law and a memo outlining the state's content censorship policy.

bookriot.com/aclu-sc-laws...

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 19h

Remember, when you want to open your mouth to point the finger at "bad" "red" states, you can pause and notice which "bad" "red" states have people on the ground fighting like hell for ALL OF OUR RIGHTS.

It's Florida. It's Texas. It's South Carolina.

Any ignorant talk like that's an auto block.

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 19h

**NEW**

Today, the ACLU of South Carolina filed a lawsuit on behalf of public school students and school librarians. They're challenging the constitutionality of the state's book banning law and a memo outlining the state's content censorship policy.

bookriot.com/aclu-sc-laws...

1 27 54

Reposted by skellyton bones jensen

skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 1d

Has your library curtailed or outright banned anything related to Banned Books Week this year? I'm not talking that you're doing something else (i.e., freedom to read week). I'm talking YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING related to the topic.

Tell me about it anonymously --> tinyurl.com/banning-bbw25

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 22h

"PEN America's new report highlights 23,000 banned books since 2021"

I know! I've written about that report, too.

And guess what? MY BOOKS ARE AMONG THEM. Why? BECAUSE OF MY ANTI-BOOK BAN WORK.

Okay, that's all my bitching for today. I really fucking hate Banned Books Week, y'all.

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 22h

I was being threatened and harassed for calling out book bans before it was getting any kind of mainstream attention and I've paid dearly for it.

These mass, aimless emails are infuriating.

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 22h

The number of pitches I've gotten in the run up and through Banned Books Week from pr folks who haven't done a lick of research into the work I do is mind-boggling.

"Did you know books are being banned? Talk with an expert about it."

...I'm happy to do that but I'm *also* an expert.

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 23h

Here are the finalists for this year's National Book Awards and man, is the Young People's Literature list *stacked*!

bookriot.com/the-2025-nat...

The 2025 National Book Awards Shortlists Are Here

Here are the finalists in each category for the 2025 National Book Awards.

bookriot.com

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 23h

@kylelukoff.bsky.social !!!!!!

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 23h

Liz's book is out today!!!!

Liz Gotauco (Preorder F*cked Up Fairy Tales!) @cosbrarian.bsky.social · 1d

To celebrate the release of my book F*cked Up Fairy Tales, please request the print, ebook, and audio from your local library right meow!

Extremely excellent graphic advertising my book F*cked Up Fairy Tales with a pull quote from James Fucking Lapine: "These are not your mama's bedtime stories."

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 1d

Administration pulled "Ponies" by Kij Johnson from curriculum at Otsego Public Schools (MI). They gave no reason why the story that's been used for years and years was suddenly pulled...but given it's a story about authoritarianism, we know damn well why.

www.mlive.com/news/kalamaz...

Parents, teachers upset after school district removes dystopian book from curriculum

Parents and teachers voiced concerns at Monday's school board meeting about the removal of "Ponies," a 2010 Nebula Award-winning story about authoritarianism.

www.mlive.com

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 1d

La Crosse Public Library (WI) has cut positions and is leaving already-budgeted positions vacant as a result of city budget cuts. More cuts may happen, too.

archive.ph/eRW8D

archive.ph

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 1d

Has your library curtailed or outright banned anything related to Banned Books Week this year? I'm not talking that you're doing something else (i.e., freedom to read week). I'm talking YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING related to the topic.

Tell me about it anonymously --> tinyurl.com/banning-bbw25

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skellyton bones jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 1d

Am now wondering if this is why my indie bookstore order from over a month ago hasn't shipped yet (and it's a Halloween thing, so time is getting close here and I may need to cancel it on them).

But it's not them. It's their supplier.

Alex Brown 🇵🇸 (they/them) @bookjockeyalex.bsky.social · 1d

Jesus. This is huge. B&T is, or I guess now was, one of the main library vendors for print books.

Cyberpunk Librarian @cyberpunklibrarian.bsky.social · 1d

Baker & Taylor appears to be shutting down. A post on the r/libraries subreddit from an employee of B&T breaks the news and there appear to be other employees in the comments confirming the situation.

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