New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a groundbreaking law on Monday that prohibits public and school libraries in the state from banning books. The law also provides protections against civil and criminal charges for librarians who adhere to this legislation. This move makes New Jersey the latest Democrat-led state to enact a ban on book bans, following in the footsteps of Illinois and Minnesota.
The bill, signed at Princeton's public library, aims to prevent the exclusion of books based on their origin, background, or views, as well as protecting them from censorship simply because someone finds them offensive. The only exception is for 'developmentally inappropriate material' for specific age groups. The law mandates that local school boards and library governing bodies establish policies for book curation and removal, including addressing concerns over certain materials.
According to the American Library Association, there has been a significant increase in challenges to books in school and public libraries, with over 4,200 works targeted in 2023, many of which had LGBTQ+ and racial themes. This surge in restrictions has raised concerns among librarians and administrators about potential lawsuits, fines, and even imprisonment for providing books deemed inappropriate by others.
Conservative parents and activists argue that certain books are too sexually explicit or controversial, especially for younger readers. On the other hand, librarians have welcomed the new law, with Karen Grant, president of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, emphasizing that it recognizes librarians' professionalism and promotes libraries as vital sources of information and intellectual freedom.
The law, set to take effect in a year, empowers the state education commissioner and state librarian to begin implementing its provisions. The enactment of this law marks a significant step towards safeguarding intellectual freedom and ensuring that libraries remain spaces for voluntary inquiry and student development.
