Censorship, an Uphill Battle There has always been a history of censorship of books and narratives; however, as of 2025, an influx of individuals seeking to ban materials deemed unsafe for children has occurred (Oliver, 2022; Vasilogambros, 2025). The primary concerns of those who wish to censor books in the library pertain to subjects related to LGBTQIA+ issues and race (ALA, n.d.; CNN, 2021; Oliver, 2022). There is also the factor of how censorship is done, which is alarming to witness myself as a person who works in education. Censorship of contested topics encompasses either the downplaying of factors surrounding horrendous tragedies and prejudice, such as replacing Maus with less…

A Free and Open Library Two subjects stood out to me the most in this module: the need for librarians to adopt an equitable and open-minded attitude in serving their community, and how libraries can be an encouraging space for patrons to thrive (Garcia-Febo, 2018; Hasan, 2022). The subjects reminded me of previous courses that I took, which focused on social justice and the need for libraries to be more equitable areas for patrons to thrive in a culturally aware environment. (Kostelecky et al., 2023). Because of this experience in those courses, I realized that providing such a free and open space for many patrons to thrive in a non-judgmental…

Now, as in the past, freedom of speech and expression are threatened by politicians playing into many people’s fears, and a free and open library space catered to the diverse and participatory needs of the public is needed to combat the suppression of people’s ideas (Kuhn, 2024; Library Futures, 2025; Stephens, 2025). One way to introduce the library as a free and open space is to be as transparent with the library community as possible, as many are woefully misinformed on the reasoning for the inclusion of various spaces in the library, catered to diverse needs, and the inclusion of various texts (Bolan, 2008; Kuhn, 2024). Another method is for…

Hello everyone! My name is Miguel, and I am excited to participate in this course as part of my LIS studies. I live in San Diego, California, and I am currently working as a substitute librarian for elementary schools in the La Mesa County area. I enjoy answering all students’ questions concerning their learning experience so that they might succeed as students. I chose this course to continue what a previous professor said about staying up-to-date on what is occurring in the library space. I am excited to learn about all the innovative technologies and ways the library space is evolving to keep up with the ever-evolving needs of patrons.…