By Carolyn Foote, Librarian Consultant and co-founder of Texas FReadom Fighters, a Unite Against Book Bans partner
In an ironic twist of fate, the new presidential administration’s Department of Education issued a press release declaring that book banning is a “hoax” on January 24 —the same day Kim Snyder’s new documentary The Librarians debuted at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The film makes it clear that the opposite is true: book bans are real.
Synder’s documentary centers librarians and their battles against book banning, exploring those struggles and their impact on different communities around the country. Librarians Suzette Baker (TX), Becky Calzada (TX), Martha Hickson (NJ), Amanda Jones (LA), Audrey Wilson-Youngblood (TX), and I were among those profiled in the film and invited to attend the premiere at Sundance.
A Triumphant Reception in Utah, Amid Statewide Book Bans
After our work defending the freedom to read was chronicled in The Librarians, being part of its debut last week in Park City, Utah, was a rewarding, exhausting, exhilarating, and bonding experience. Utah itself has been the subject of statewide book bans, so it seemed fitting that this tribute to fighting back premiered at Sundance.
For me and my fellow librarians in attendance, being treated with acclaim has been a unique experience. We were whisked through photoshoots and podcast sessions with director Kim Snyder and executive producer Sarah Jessica Parker. We were interviewed for media outlets including IndieWire, Variety, and Audible and did multiple photo shoots. For those of us who were the film’s key subjects, it was emotional to see our stories on the big screen and witness the supportive audience reactions. We cried at different moments in each showing, laughed at others, and appreciated the artistic details in the film more each time we saw it.
Upcoming Impact Campaign and PBS Debut
The entire team behind The Librarians can’t wait to share more about the upcoming impact campaign, which is being conducted with support from Subject Matter and PEN America. The Librarians will also debut on PBS’s Independent Lens this fall. Please sign up to receive updates about the film and new screenings as they’re announced.
An Outpouring of Support Reminds Us to Keep Fighting
Wearing winter beanies emblazoned with The Librarians as we walked through the streets of Park City was an unforgettable experience. We were stopped by passersby who gushed about the film or requested a photo. There were chance encounters with former students and celebrities as well, including Benedict Cumberpatch and Glenn Close. It was quite a startling juxtaposition to feel so celebrated by the film’s crew and supporters, after enduring incredibly difficult fights against book banning in our local communities.
If you are a library professional or educator being targeted by local censorship groups, never forget that so many Americans support your work. We were proud to represent all the librarians who have taken action quietly or in public to support the right to read.
To learn more about how you can stand against book banning in your own community, see the Unite Against Book Bans Toolkit or sign up to join us.
