‘How I Library’ Episode 20: Penn Jillette

In episode 20 of the “How I Library” podcast, show host and I Love Libraries editor Phil Morehart speaks with magician, actor, and author Penn Jillette from the Emmy Award-winning magic and comedy duo, Penn and Teller. Jillette joins the show to discuss his new novel, “Felony Juggler,” and its influences, magic and skepticism, the importance of libraries in his life growing up, book bans and information access, and of course, how he libraries.

U.S. Book Challenges Update: July 2025 Edition

This month’s report on attempts to censor library materials in the U.S., and efforts by librarians, parents, students, and concerned citizens to push back against them, includes news from New Hampshire, Maryland, and Alabama, as well as a look at how psychologists are fighting censorship to keep culturally diverse books available to everyone.

U.S. Book Challenges Update: June 2025 Edition

Libraries and schools across the country are experiencing unprecedented levels of attempts to ban or remove books from their shelves. I Love Libraries will continue to raise awareness by highlighting attempts to censor library materials, as well as efforts by librarians, parents, students, and concerned citizens to push back against them. This report includes news from Florida, Tennessee, and Texas.

U.S. Book Challenges Update: May 2025 Edition

Our latest report on book bans happening across the the U.S. and efforts to fight them includes news from Tennessee and Texas, as well as a look at the banning of a picture book by the beloved author of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”

‘How I Library’ Episode 18: Marium Zahra and Aruja Misra from PBS News Student Reporting Labs

In episode 18 of the “How I Library” podcast, show host and I Love Libraries editor Phil Morehart speaks with Marium Zahra and Aruja Misra, two high school students from Texas who are participants in “On Our Minds,” an award-winning podcast series about the teenage experience from PBS News Student Reporting Labs. The new season asks teens, “Who Inspires You?” For Zahra and Misra, it was their school librarian who is beloved on campus for being a proponent of reading banned books. Zahra and Misra join the show to discuss working with PBS News, podcasting, journalism, banned books, and of course, how they library.

U.S. Book Challenges Update: April 2025 Edition

Libraries and schools across the country are experiencing unprecedented levels of attempts to ban or remove books from their shelves. I Love Libraries will continue to raise awareness by highlighting attempts to censor library materials, as well as efforts by librarians, parents, students, and concerned citizens to push back against them. This report includes news from Tennessee and Texas, as well as looks at two authors who are standing up against book censorship.

National Library Week Kicks Off with Release of New Book Censorship Data

The American Library Association kicked off National Library Week with the release of new data on book censorship in 2024 and the Top 10 Most Challenged Books List, which includes “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by George M. Johnson, “Gender Queer,” by Maia Kobabe, “The Bluest Eye,” by Toni Morrison, and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky. The data shows that the majority of book censorship attempts now originate from organized movements.