"Rising Threat: Activists Target LGBTQ+ Books, Putting Librarians at Risk of Prison"
Across the US, book challenges and bans have surged, leading to increased self-censorship in libraries and schools. Legislators in over 15 states have introduced bills imposing penalties on libraries and librarians for distributing materials deemed inappropriate, with some laws already enacted in Utah and pending in Idaho. The trend comes as officials seek to define terms such as “obscene” and “harmful,” with conflicts often involving materials featuring racial and LGBTQ+ themes. The laws are designed to limit legal protections that libraries have had for decades, leading to fears and self-censorship among educators and librarians.