That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America

School librarian Amanda Jones’ life changed forever after she spoke at a public library board meeting two years ago in Livingston Parish, Louisiana. She voiced concern about censorship as other librarians across the nation have – more and more in recent years – and a pro-censorship group heard her.

For months, members of the pro-censorship group fired a sustained barrage of bizarre and erroneous social media posts about her, including death threats, which led to her taking a leave of absence from work, filing an anti-defamation lawsuit, and, ultimately, publishing a book, That Librarian.

Jones, a 23-year veteran educator, discusses that journey, how it’s changed her personal and professional life, and how crucial it is to the health and continuance of a democracy to fight censorship at every turn.

She was the 2020 Louisiana School Librarian of the Year, 2021 School Library Journal National Librarian of the Year, and the past-president of the Louisiana Association of School Librarians.