MI Right to Read

Libraries don’t just store information—they protect the freedom to seek it.

At today’s Michigan Library Association Intellectual Freedom Summit, Kyle Zawacki of the ACLU of Michigan opened with a reminder that feels especially urgent right now: libraries have long stood as cornerstones of democracy, defending the right to read, learn, and explore ideas freely.

From book bans to digital access barriers, from funding pressures to legislative scrutiny, the challenges facing libraries today are real—and they are not new. This session places them in a longer history, where libraries have continually adapted while holding the line for intellectual freedom.

We hope the first day of the Summit was a meaningful experience, and we look forward to continuing the conversation on Day 2.

The Intellectual Freedom Summit is made possible through generous support from the Mellon Foundation.

PEN America is raising concerns about a recent increase in book removals from Duval County school libraries, questioning whether the review process is transparent and accountable to the public.

Supporters of intellectual freedom argue that students deserve access to a wide range of ideas and that decisions about library materials should include clear public oversight and community input.

Read more by Ariel Schiller, News4Jax:

Duval County Schools book removals draw scrutiny from national free expression group Duval County Schools has more than doubled the number of books removed from shelves through an internal review process, raising transparency concerns from PEN America. The free expression group criticizes the lack of public oversight, noting the removals disproportionately impact students with limit...