That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America

Far-right parental-rights groups and lawmakers in the United States have increasingly targeted educators as purveyors of information that is allegedly harmful to children, particularly materials about Black history and LGBTQIA+ people. Librarians have been caught in the middle of the battle. In her memoir, award-winning school librarian Jones (who grew up in a conservative, religious family in a small Louisiana town and has dedicated her life to serving her community, first as a middle school teacher and then as a school librarian) delves into how she was subjected to a hate campaign after speaking out against censorship attempts at her local public library. As a result, she was maligned on social media and called a “groomer” and “pedophile,” and she even received death threats. She shares how her mental and physical health deteriorated as a result of these attacks, as well as the stress of pursuing (and losing) a defamation case against the individuals whom she accused of bullying her online.