Read Freely Alabama

08/25/2026

One of many reasons to love Dolly Parton is her incredible contribution to increasing childhood literacy through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. More than 330,000,000 free books have been sent to children worldwide over the last 31 years. What a wonderful legacy.

"If I'm remembered 100 years from now, I hope it will be not for looks but for books." -Dolly Parton

08/21/2026

Yesterday’s APLS board meeting confirmed exactly why we should all be concerned about this newly created and unnecessary assistant director position. Board member Amy Minton admitted that she intends for the “sole job” of the assistant director to be to identify individual books libraries would be forced to censor or lose their state funding.

This creates a state censorship officer, and expands inappropriate state control over local libraries.

We appreciate the APLS staff making clear that this far exceeds the board’s authority, which is administrative, and that it is not the board’s place to override local decisions about where books are shelved in Alabama’s public libraries.

The fact that the APLS staff feels this position is not necessary underscores that it should never have been created in the first place. Read Freely Alabama stands with our public libraries and their staff as they face these continued ideological and political attacks on their funding by this board under Chairman John Wahl’s leadership.

08/13/2026

🚨 CENSORSHIP IS A WARNING SIGN 🚨

❌ What’s happening around book bans and cultural rollbacks is less about literature and more about power. Marginalized communities are often targeted first because it feels easier and more acceptable, but the goal rarely stops there.

⚠️ Limiting what stories are allowed in public spaces is a way of narrowing who is seen as worthy of rights, visibility, and belonging. These efforts reflect a broader attempt to reverse social progress and redefine who gets access in society.

‼️ Protecting the freedom to read is ultimately about protecting people.

08/13/2026

🔥 COMMON GROUND 🔥

🗣️ Conversations across political lines often reveal more common ground than expected, especially when the focus shifts from personalities to principles. Concerns about privacy, surveillance, and the balance of government power resonate regardless of party affiliation.

🏛️ When people step back from loyalty to individuals and return to shared values like civil liberties, parental rights, and responsible use of taxpayer dollars, real dialogue becomes possible. Both major parties appear to be wrestling with internal questions about what they stand for and how closely their actions match those ideals.

‼️ A renewed commitment to core democratic principles may be the path toward rebuilding trust and accountability.

08/13/2026

Banned Books Week 2026 is this October 04 -10 and you can book THE LIBRARIANS to screen at your local cinema to celebrate and activate! During the 2025 annual event we worked collaboratively to faciliate hundreds of screenings and conversations throughout the country, with post-screening conversations led by librarians and advocacy partners tailored to the hyperlocal organizing.

Defend the Freedom to Read and become a Community Screening Captain with Gathr for just the price of a movie ticket in just a few simple steps! Have any questions? Reach out to us and we can help you book!

Become a Community Screening Captain now: https://tinyurl.com/TheLibrariansGathr

08/13/2026

‼️take action here:
https://action.everylibrary.org/?fbclid=Iwb21leATqxQJjbGNrBOrFAHBkb2YBZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEevMK89esxJd5bvIIRzcoow4gNvKXUMRaiMqgiv-Jn70Xj8PaRJYmNg5ym7gw_aem_WbRyEg9JgcJZJR48Tq8jVg

07/22/2026

It's time to take action!

"Two dangerous pieces of legislation, House Bill 7661 and Senate Bill 4925, would move our country closer to federally driven book bans that will limit what your children can access in school libraries across America.

If these Federal Book Ban bills become law, you will see fewer books on library shelves, fewer stories that reflect America's diverse experiences, and more political interference in decisions that should be made by you.

This isn't just about one book or one library.

It's about whether politicians in Washington should have the power to pressure your children's schools into removing books instead of encouraging students to read, learn, and think for themselves.

If you believe the freedom to read matters, now is the time to speak up."
Make your voice heard here:

We made it easy to take these four actions to fight against HR 7661 and stand up for your right to read!

07/22/2026

It's time to take action!

"Two dangerous pieces of legislation, House Bill 7661 and Senate Bill 4925, would move our country closer to federally driven book bans that will limit what your children can access in school libraries across America.

If these Federal Book Ban bills become law, you will see fewer books on library shelves, fewer stories that reflect America's diverse experiences, and more political interference in decisions that should be made by you.

This isn't just about one book or one library.

It's about whether politicians in Washington should have the power to pressure your children's schools into removing books instead of encouraging students to read, learn, and think for themselves.

If you believe the freedom to read matters, now is the time to speak up."
Make your voice heard here:

We made it easy to take these four actions to fight against HR 7661 and stand up for your right to read!

07/17/2026

Under chairman John Wahl's leadership, the APLS Board has transitioned from an administrative body to one that dictates book placement and demands censorship. After making unnecessary changes to the administrative code, the board has now missed two consecutive meetings, leaving library directors in the dark about how to implement those changes while their funding is on the line:

"Mandy Warren, director of the Eufaula Carnegie Library, told APR the cancellation of two consecutive board meetings shows a lack of prioritization for the role.

'This board is calling the shots when it comes to our state funding and LSTA grants, and we rely on them to make decisions and give guidance about these things that are vital to our communities,” Warren said. “When they can’t pull together a quorum of four out of seven people twice in a row now, it sends the message that our priorities are not their priorities.'"

https://www.alreporter.com/2026/07/17/apls-punts-second-consecutive-meeting-as-libraries-face-major-changes/?fbclid=Iwb21leATHFLtjbGNrBMcUuWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHsTt58kokH6kVqxdkzi8xu_uy13odzB3-0VLrRF44iCkkswXQR7MCmIa9L5C_aem_6msHp9uyatO32H_xms3aeA

Critics said the cancellations left Alabama libraries without timely guidance on funding, grants and new rules governing youth collections.

07/15/2026

Read Freely Alabama is deeply concerned that the Alabama Public Library Service has now cancelled two consecutive quarterly board meetings. Items on the agenda, including sample policies for the recent code changes libraries must follow to receive funding and the hiring of a new assistant director, are time-sensitive, and neglecting quarterly meetings leaves our libraries without necessary guidance.

Repeated cancellations raise serious questions about this board's ability to fulfill its duties in a timely and effective manner under Chairman Wahl's watch. Our libraries need steady leadership, not a board that creates unnecessary upheaval for political purposes and then abandons libraries to deal with uncertainty in the aftermath. Alabama's libraries deserve a board that is fully engaged, focused, and committed to carrying out its role in an effective and nonpartisan fashion, without delay.