Secretary Giannoulias to Libraries: We’re United Against Banning Books
March 7, 2023
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Secretary Giannoulias to Libraries: We’re United Against Banning Books
Amid coordinated efforts throughout the nation to ban books from library shelves, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has drafted legislation designed to support public and school libraries as they face unprecedented censorship of books and resources in Illinois.
Under House Bill 2789, sponsored by State Reps. Anne Stava-Murray (81st District – Downers Grove) and Carol Ammons (103rd District – Champaign) and State Sen. Laura Murphy (28th District – Elk Grove Village), Illinois libraries would only be eligible for state funding grants – issued by the Secretary of State’s office – if they: 1) demonstrate adherence to the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights that indicates reading materials should not be removed or restricted because of partisan or personal disapproval; or 2) issue a statement complying with the policies of the State Library or one prohibiting the practice of banning books or resources. If approved, HB 2789 would take effect January 1, 2024.
Most public libraries, Illinois schools, and school libraries have statements on materials selection, reconsideration, etc. in library policies and procedures and/or in the School Board Policy Manual. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with these policies. For many libraries, current policy will meet the requirements of this bill.
ILA is in support of the legislation, along with AISLE, Illinois Federation of Teachers, and NAACP-Springfield. We anticipate more supporters in the near future.
Take Action
HB 2789 is scheduled for a committee hearing tomorrow, Wednesday, March 8, at 2:00 p.m. The Secretary’s office encourages library advocates to add support for the bill prior to the hearing by submitting a witness slip by clicking here.
- Go to HB 2789
- Click the icon to the right displaying a sheet of paper and pencil
- Fill out the form for electronic filing & submit
The Illinois State Bar Association has directions on how to file a witness slip. If you have any questions, please contact the ILA office at ila@ila.org.
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