Social Media for Libraries: Speaking Out on Book Bans

What role should libraries play on social media when it comes to the rise in book challenges and bans?

"The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack."

Across the country, libraries have faced increasing pressure to remove or restrict books dealing with race, gender identity, and sexuality. These challenges often spark heated debates—not just in local meetings, but online. Social media has become one of the primary arenas where these conversations unfold. For libraries, the question is no longer whether to engage, but how to engage responsibly.

As institutions dedicated to intellectual freedom, libraries have both the right and responsibility to advocate for open access to information.

Social media provides a platform to communicate that mission clearly. Posts that highlight the Freedom to Read Statement or share resources from the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom can educate the public and show transparency in library values. Campaigns like #LetFreedomRead or #BannedBooksWeek also allow libraries to participate in national conversations while connecting with local patrons.

At the same time, social media advocacy must be handled thoughtfully. Posts can easily become targets for criticism, especially in politically divided communities. Tone and context matter. Instead of arguing with individuals online, libraries can emphasize their core values—access, inclusion, and the right to read—while maintaining professionalism.

Social media is a tool for visibility and education, but it is also a reminder of how fragile free access to information can be. By using their online voice to promote understanding rather than polarization, libraries can model civil discourse and reaffirm their commitment to every reader’s right to choose.

Question for Readers
How do you think libraries should use social media to address book bans—through advocacy and education, or by remaining neutral to avoid controversy?

Madison Ledford

Comments

  1. Christina BeiderbeckeOctober 13, 2025 at 3:25 PM

    Madison - This is such an awesome post! I absolutely love your suggestions for how libraries handle the right and responsibility of libraries to advocate for open access to information. I do think libraries should use social media to address book bans through advocacy and education whenever they can. I regularly repost ALA's book ban posts like #LetFreedomRead on my personal LInkedIn. However, I do understand my director's and library board's decision not to post those items on the library's Facebook page. We are in a very red rural county in NYS and some people are very conferential on social media - especially the town news Facebook page. There is the Williamson Families group page that reposts our library posts and then there is a group called, "Williamson Families say what you want we won't cancel you". I am not joking - that is the name of that group. Some of them pop into the Williamson Families group to make a nasty comment and then try to solicit people to join their group. Luckily, nobody from the Moms for Liberty group or other book banning folks in our county have stopped in to pull banned books off our shelves or make comments on our social media. It would be quite a mess if they did - we have a lot of banned books available for all readers.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Madison LedfordOctober 20, 2025 at 5:30 PM

    Hi Christina,
    I hate that you are in situation where the public library has to suppress information due to fear of retaliation from extremists. I watched a documentary called The Librarians at the Aspen FIlmFest, which touched on intellectual freedom, book banning, and the Moms for Liberty group pushing school boards to fire their librarians over censorship. I cannot find the documentary online, but here is a link to the screening. My library is lucky enough to have a supportive community, so I reached out to Aspen FilmFest to create public access, but I have not heard back, yet.

    aspenfilm.org/film/the-librarians-2025

    ReplyDelete

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