Article Title
The Modern Chaining of Books in Alabama: An Exposé
Abstract
During the majority of 2023, several counties in Alabama experienced an increase in persistent demands to either censor or ban books in school and public libraries, especially over content related to LGBTQIA+ rights and other important concepts like body autonomy and consent. This article is a detailed personal account of a public librarian in Alabama whose library was one of the first to experience such attacks during that year and how it is still ongoing throughout the state. It suggests the comparison between librarians of antiquity who literally chained library books to shelves in order to prevent theft to now, how a small yet loud and well-funded minority across the country and the state of Alabama are trying to metaphorically chain our libraries’ books in order to prevent inclusivity and intellectual freedom. As well, it details the grassroots activism that arose from the metaphorical ashes of the burned books in defense of the local LGBTQIA+ community, intellectual freedom, parental and personal rights, Alabama public and school librarians, and the books housed within their libraries. All names in reference to particular locations, books, dates, individuals, or local groups, except for state and national institutions like the Alabama Public Library Service, Alabama Library Association, and the American Library Association have been replaced with generalized titles or descriptions for privacy concerns.