ALA Senior Director, Public Policy & Government Relations and Interim Associate Executive Director Alan Inouye has provided some useful updates, many of them centered on intellectual freedom. The temporary injunction of Texas HB900 is important news—let’s hope that the injunction becomes permanent and appeals are quashed. The dubious constitutionality of government acting as de facto censor under hopelessly vague standards and operating under prior restraint are bad enough, never mind the crushing burden placed on publishers and book sellers.

POLICY & ADVOCACY UPDATES

-- Continuing: Join the Unite Against Book Bans campaign. Tell your friends and colleagues.

https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/

-- Upcoming: September 19 is National Voter Registration Day. Your library can participate. ALA is a Premier Partner of NVRD.

https://twitter.com/LibraryPolicy/status/1692616793989304354

Post-Conference Debrief with ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office.

https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2023/07/post-conference-debrief-with-alas-public-policy-and-advocacy-office/

Highlights from the Rally for the Right to Read at 2023 ALA Annual Conference: https://twitter.com/UABookBans/status/1679960763367055360

Ninth Circuit Affirms the Server Test in Hunley v. Instagram. ALA was part of an amicus brief led by EFF. Our counsel Jonathan Band explains in this article:

https://www.project-disco.org/intellectual-property/ninth-circuit-affirms-the-server-test-in-hunley-v-instagram/

Unite Against Book Bans (UABB) campaign recent partner posts:

People for the American Way: https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/grandparents-for-truth-mobilizes-against-book-banning-and-censorship/

American Federation of Teachers: https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/reading-opens-the-world/

Authors Guild: https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/freedom-to-read-write/

National Coalition Against Censorship: https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/some-good-news-for-a-change/

ALA, ATALM applaud FCC Report and Order to support Tribal, small and rural library E-rate applicants

https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2023/07/ala-atalm-applaud-fcc-report-and-order-support-tribal-small-and-rural-library

https://twitter.com/LibraryPolicy/status/1682139417299894272

ALA joined Coalition Letter (led by New America Foundation) to FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel Urging Final Rules for 6 GHz that Avoids Creating a “Wi-Fi Digital Divide”.

https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye/status/1688895635968135168

and ALA joined an earlier letter on unlicensed spectrum:

https://twitter.com/MCalabreseNAF/status/1687174891571965952

ALA via the Library Copyright Alliance submitted comments for the 2024 AGOA Eligibility Review for South Africa Post-Hearing.

https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye/status/1689416999317684226

"Public libraries are the latest front in culture war battle over books" in the Washington Post features Lisa Varga, Exec Dir of Virginia Library Association and member of the ALA Policy Corps.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/07/25/library-books-bans-lgbtq-virginia/

https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye/status/1683971898181394433

Freedom to Read Foundation and AASL joined an amicus brief against HB900--which has been blocked by a federal judge (preliminary injunction):

https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye/status/1692359434427613508

Former President Barack Obama asks you to join the United Against Book Bans campaign

https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1680928209183932418

ALA endorses three nominees for the FCC and urges swift confirmation

https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye/status/1679241165340549123

NEWS & ARTICLES

Sen. Reed tweets out Library Card Sign Up Month

https://twitter.com/SenJackReed/status/1697600091907928474