Freedom to Read Foundation

The Librarians is heading to living rooms across the country and is sharing a powerful message far and wide. Catch this important documentary on PBS, February 9.

www.pbs.org/independentl...

Show up for our libraries. ALA American Library Association.

New: Yesterday the Administration filed notice to appeal a recent decision in federal court which halted actions to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

IMLS grants are still in place while the court hears the appeal. The appeals process will take time. 1/2

19th of January Martin Luther King Jr Day The time is always right to do what is right

Today we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

A leader who showed the world the power of courage, compassion, and unwavering faith in justice.

At FTRF, we carry that spirit forward by believing in progress, unity, and building a future where everyone has the chance to rise.

The uglier the sweater, the bigger the bragging rights. Today’s the day—show off those festive disasters! 🤶🎁 #FTRFgetsUGLY

December 19th is the Ugly Sweater Day Join us on Dec 19th in your best UGLY SWEATER and use the hashtag #FTRFGetsUGLY

Dust off the sparkles, the snowflakes, and the wonderfully tacky threads–Ugly Sweater Day is almost here! Get ready to bring your boldest holiday chaos.

#Christmas #FTRFGetsUgly

Indigenous stories carry generations of strength, knowledge, and truth.

Support the Freedom to Read Foundation to keep those stories accessible.

Your donation helps protect the right to read for all: tr.ee/gb_gsTycXY

We appreciate your support. Your donation helps protect the right to read for all.

It's #GivingTuesday! I gave to @teachingchange.bsky.social and @ftrf.bsky.social. #Education and #IntellectualFreedom go hand in hand. #TLSky #EduSky. Let's make sure the young people we serve experience their #FirstAmendment rights and are empowered to take action in their schools/communities!

A cozy confession: yes, we bring a book to Thanksgiving dinner… just in case.

Swipe to see which type of holiday reader you are. 🍁✨

Here's your chance to support the stories that inspire, challenge and empower us. When you donate to the Freedom to Read Foundation, you help safeguard open access to books and uphold the rights of every reader.

Your gift on Dec. 2 keeps library shelves full of possibility. www.ftrf.org/page/donate

The freedoms we cherish, including the freedom to read, think, and speak openly — are safeguarded by those who have served. On Veterans Day, we express our gratitude to all who have defended these rights and the democratic principles that sustain them.

#VeteransDay

Stories shape understanding. Limiting access to them limits our freedom to learn.

HB 900 would have silenced countless voices — from classic authors to today’s storytellers — by forcing schools to pull books that mention sex or relationships. That’s censorship, plain and simple.

Students in Texas would not have been allowed to read or borrow books that merely touch on the topics of sex or relationships regardless of the work’s literary, scientific or artistic value.

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025 a Federal judge in Waco, Texas declared that House Bill 900, also known as the READER Act, violates the constitution. A copy of the final order can be accessed through the link in our bio. The ruling makes a lower court's temporary injunction, that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals later upheld, permanent.

In November of 2023, the Freedom to Read Foundation and the American Association of School Librarians filed an amicus curiae brief in the Fifth Circuit that supported the request by the American Booksellers Association, the Association of American Publishers, the Authors Guild, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and two Texas bookstores to halt enforcement of the Texas law HB900.

The brief argues that the law violates the First Amendment rights of booksellers, publishers, authors and students. See a copy of the amicus brief through the link in our bio.

The fight for the freedom to read continues.
In November 2023, the Freedom to Read Foundation and AASL filed an amicus curiae brief supporting a challenge to Texas law HB 900, which threatened the First Amendment rights of booksellers, publishers, authors, and students.

tr.ee/4XlSHYFTGw

What’s scarier than ghosts, ghouls, or goblins?
A banned book collecting dust.
👀📚
#ReadingIsPower #BooksAreMagic #FreedomToRead #ReadFreely #BooksNotBans #LetBooksBeBooks #RightToRead #BannedBooksWeek #UncensoredStories #ReadWithoutLimits #ProtectBooks #StoriesForAll #Halloween

Books have been banned. Voices have been silenced.

This award celebrates those who refuse to let censorship win. Carrying her spirit forward, we celebrate champions of free expression🏆

Join us alongside @eleanorrooseveltcenter on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 AT 7:00 PM EST

LITTLE V. LLANO COUNTY A three-judge Fifth Circuit panel affirmed that removal of books based on content was unconstitutional.

Texas residents sued after 17 books—many about LGBTQ+ identities, race, and sexual health—were pulled from public library shelves. A district court ordered the books restored, and a Fifth Circuit panel initially agreed that removing them violated the First Amendment. Part of the court went further, declaring that library collection decisions are “government speech” and not subject to review.

The dissent warned this decision undermines decades of precedent and opens the door to censorship in public libraries across Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, with the case now potentially headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The First Amendment protects our right to read, learn, and access ideas without government censorship. When that right is weakened, we all lose. Follow the Freedom to Read Foundation for updates on Little v. Llano County.

This en banc decision ignores and upends long-standing precedent meant to safeguard a diversity of ideas in public institutions. For the people who rely on these books, this isn't abstract–it affects access, knowledge, and community.

#ConstitutionDay

This Suicide Prevention Month, let’s fight to ensure every young person can access the support, community, and information they deserve to not just survive, but thrive💜
#SuicidePreventionDay

600 typewriters. 21 cages. One message.

First shown on the site of the Nazi book burnings in Berlin, and now continuing its journey around the world.

Seen here at the ALA, the work reminds us: the fight for free expression is far from over.

#FreedomToRead #WritersBlock #SherylOring #Censorship

Happy 4th of July But what about the First Amendment?

The First Amendment is not a relic, it’s a responsibility. In times of political pressure, disinformation, and coordinated censorship, the freedom to read is more than a right—it’s a safeguard for democracy. The First Amendment protects not just speech, but access to diverse voices, stories, and truths that shape who we are and who we can become. At the Freedom to Read Foundation, we defend this right every day because without it, every library, classroom, and community is at risk.

At the Freedom to Read Foundation, we protect the First Amendment rights—because without access to knowledge, there is no informed public. And without an informed public, there is no democracy.

🇺🇸Defend the freedom to read.

#FreedomToRead #ReadFreely #BooksNotBans

The Nature Reader You read to reconnect—with the earth, with wonder, with stillness. You love lush descriptions, nature metaphors, and eco-fiction. Genre Faves: Nature writing, magical realism, fantasy. “Give me forests, storms, and stories that breathe.”

The Curiosity Reader You chase questions and marvels. From speculative sci-fi to myth retellings, you read to expand your imagination and stretch what’s possible. Genre Faves: Sci-fi, fantasy, mythology, graphic novels. “Books are spells. I cast one with every page.”

The Deep Diver Reader You crave depth. You love stories that explore the soul, challenge perspectives, and linger in your thoughts long after. Genre Faves: Literary fiction, philosophy, historical fiction. “I read to understand the world—and myself.”

What kind of reader are you? Celebrate Pride Month by discovering your reader identity—one color at a time! Swipe through and find your reader type.

The life reader You're all heart. You read to feel alive—romances that make your heart race, coming-of-age stories that mirror your soul, and narratives full of messy, beautiful humanity. Genre Faves: Contemporary fiction, romance, memoirs. “Give me characters who feel everything, just like me.”

The Healing Reader You find peace between pages. Books are your safe haven, your self-care toolkit. You love gentle reads, found-family arcs, and mental health journeys. Genre Faves: Cozy fantasy, slow-burn stories, self-help. “Books are where I go to breathe again.”

The Joy Reader Your reading taste is full of light and laughter. You gravitate toward feel-good stories, witty banter, and happy endings. You’re here for serotonin! Genre Faves: Rom-coms, humor, uplifting nonfiction. “If it doesn’t spark joy, I don’t finish it.”

Whatever reader you are, your story matters.
This Pride Month, read with pride. 🏳️‍🌈
Share your reader type your friends! 📚💬✨
#PrideReads #ReadWithPride

Since its debut, Writer’s Block has traveled to Berlin’s Jewish Museum, Budapest’s National Library, and the Boston Public Library—keeping the conversation alive. FTRF is a proud sponsor of this important art installation at #ALAAC25

Freedom of expression isn’t guaranteed. It’s defended.

This #Juneteenth, we lift our voices to defend the freedom to read, denounce censorship, and celebrate diverse literature.

Join us in sparking conversation!

📅 June 19 – Host or attend a Juneteenth Watch Party
📚 June 21 – Virtual Author Read-In | 12–2 PM EST

➡️ Details at ReadStrongAmerica.org

WE STAND PROUDLY WITH LEBTO+ READERS, AUTHORS, AND STORIES. At the Freedom to Read Foundation, we believe that everyone deserves access to books that reflect their identity, history, and truth. Join us in protecting the right to read for all.

This #PrideMonth, we honor the power of LGBTQ+ stories and fight back against the rising tide of book bans that aim to erase them.

🏳️‍🌈 At the Freedom to Read Foundation, we defend your right to find yourself in the pages—no matter who you are or who you love.

We’re proud to honor Skip Dye, SVP of Library Sales & Digital Strategy at Penguin Random House, with the 2025 FTRF Roll of Honor Award! Skip’s tireless advocacy fuels our fight against censorship.

#ReadingIsPower #BooksAreMagic #FreedomToRead

Leading with the freedom to read foundation and a calls to action June 5 2025 - Panelist highlight.

Joseph Earl Thomas is the author of Sink, a memoir, and the novel God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer, winner of the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. His writing has been published in Harper’s, Vanity Fair, Dilettante Army, The Paris Review and elsewhere. Joseph teaches writing at Sarah Lawrence College, and courses in Black Studies, Poetics, Video Games, Queer Theory and more at The Brooklyn Institute for Social Research.

⭐️Panelist Spotlight:

Author of Sink and God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer—winner of the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize—Joseph Earl Thomas brings bold storytelling and deep critical insight to this year’s FTRF Virtual President’s Program.

June 5 | 7–8:30 p.m. ET.
www.ftrf.org/news/701797/...

Leading with the Freedom to Read Foundation and a Call to Action June 5, 2025 | 7:00PM - 8:30PM ET Whether you’re a long-term member, or need an introduction to the Foundation, we’re excited to share the work of the Freedom to Read Foundation with you.

Join us June 5!
The Freedom to Read Foundation’s Virtual President’s Program is happening 7–8:30 p.m. ET.

Hear from President Sophia Sotilleo and others on defending the First Amendment and fighting censorship in 2025.

ala-events.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

#freepeoplereadfreely

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller is a bold, heartwarming reminder that stories—especially the ones someone tries to silence—have the power to change lives.

Have you read it yet? Tell us what you think! 👇
#ReadingIsPower #BooksAreMagic #FreedomToRead

ALA Denounces unlawful firing of U.S. Register of Copyrights, Dr. Shira Perlmutter. Show up for our libraries. American Library Association.

NEW: ALA denounces yesterday's unlawful firing of Dr. Shira Perlmutter, the Register of Copyrights at the Library of Congress.

Dr. Perlmutter has led the US Copyright Office with integrity, intelligence and an understanding of intellectual property issues. 1/2

Happy Mother's Day From the Freedom to Read Foundation

You fight for stories. You fight for truth. You fight for the right to read. Whether you're raising little readers, speaking up against censorship, or leading by example, your voice matters. A mother’s love is a story worth telling—and one that should never be silenced.

Happy Mother’s Day to the protectors of knowledge and the champions of free expression.

To the moms raising readers—and fighting book bans while they’re at it—thank you.
You protect more than stories. You protect the right to learn.

Happy Mother’s Day from FTRF. 💛📚
#MothersDay #FreedomToRead #MomsAgainstBookBans #FTRF