Unite Against Book Bans, the Interfaith Alliance, and the American Library Association are excited to offer a free webinar for faith leaders and library workers, focused on grassroots organizing to stop book bans. Other freedom to read advocates are also encouraged to participate. This virtual event will celebrate the launch of the campaign, “Faith for Libraries: Diverse Faith Communities Supporting Libraries and Librarians.”
How Faith Communities and Librarians Can Advocate for the Freedom to Read
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
1 pm PT | 2 pm MT | 3 pm CT | 4 pm ET
Attempts to remove and censor reading material in libraries have spiked in recent years—and censors often claim that they are speaking for people of faith. But they do not represent the majority of Americans from our diverse religious communities.
Join us to learn why book bans threaten religious freedom and how faith communities and library workers can come together to advocate for the right to read. You’ll hear from both faith leaders and library leaders and walk away with new tools and information to organize together.
The panel will include Sam Helmick, President of the American Library Association; Rev. Qiana Johnson, Associate Dean of Libraries, Collections and Content Strategies, Dartmouth Libraries; Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, President and CEO of the Interfaith Alliance; and Sherry Scheline, Vice President/President-Elect of the Association for Rural and Small Libraries. It will be moderated by Amelia N. Aldred, Deputy Director of State and Local Advocacy, ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office. Free registration is required.
For more about the impacts of book bans on religious diversity and faith communities, check out the Interfaith Alliance’s anti-censorship work as well as “Banned Books, Banned Beliefs,” a print-ready resource co-developed by the Interfaith Alliance and Unite Against Book Bans.
