Summary
A federal judge struck down key parts of an Arkansas law (Act 372) that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing “harmful” materials to minors, deeming them unconstitutional.
The law, signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in 2023, sought to relocate challenged library materials to restricted areas but faced opposition from groups like the ACLU, citing censorship concerns.
Supporters argue the law protects children from obscene content, and the state plans to appeal.
Similar restrictive book laws have been passed in other conservative states.
When I tell people one of the reasons we’re taking advantage of my dual nationality and emigrating is that my wife is a librarian, they think it’s a joke.
It’s not a fucking joke.
I will put money on SCOTUS reversing this and making it legal to arrest librarians for corrupting the youth.
Some states give librarians the authority to issue arrest warrants if the value of overdue books is over a certain amount. Just saying.
So you’re saying this is just fair play? Really?
FYI: My wife’s library doesn’t even have overdue fines. We’re in Indiana where she can already be arrested for allowing minors to access certain information deemed unsuitable.
Obviously not, but turnabout is fair play. You don’t have to have active fines. Just find one of these book banners and send them a demand letter, if they don’t return (book that is definitely worth over x amount) the librarian can issue an arrest warrant. If your wife happens to be wrong, well, qualified immunity bithces.