Joan Detz

If You Quit Social Media, Will You Read More Books? Books are inefficient, and the internet is training us to expect optimized experiences.

“Here’s a thought many of us have these days: if only we weren’t on our damn phones all the time, we would surely unlock a better self—one that went on hikes and talked more with our children and felt less rank jealousy about other people’s successes.”

Just like with Brazil arresting their insurrectionists rather than re-electing them, other countries are holding their Epstein-tied politicians accountable far better than we do. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Learning English as a 2nd language? Here’s a tidbit for you #ESL

Excerpt: “Milano Cortina 2026 will be the 5th Winter Games collection. This achievement was recognised by Sporting Heritage when the IIPC CDG won the Celebrating Digital Innovation in Sporting Heritage Award 2025” #archives #history

#MediaCoverage

That darned Constitution is so inconvenient.

YouTube video by Harry Dunn Done Waiting

January 6 was the worst day of my life. But the threat of Donald Trump didn’t end when the mob left the Capitol.

That’s why I’m running for Congress: to defend this country, with the full constitutional authority of Congress.

I’m Harry Dunn. And I’m ready to finish the job.

Im excited about Bad Bunny's superbowl performance!
#SupportImmigrants

Yeah hey JD remember that? What ever happened with that?

Love this infographic!
And the thinking it inspired
tinyurl.com/39kyr5tk
#TLsky #Skybrarian #SchoolLibrarians #TLskychat #edusky #kidlit

Minnesota's indie bookstores are standing up for the right to speak, assemble, and be heard. Here's how readers everywhere can stand with them:

Word Games & Quizzes Challenge yourself with dozens of word games, puzzles, crosswords, and quizzes with new content every day!

Really love the games at Merriam-Webster.

www.merriam-webster.com/games

#KidLit #SchoolLibrarians

PW Notables 2025: Mary Rasenberger The Authors Guild CEO has been a leader in the fight against AI companies’ use of copyrighted materials without compensating authors, as well as the ongoing surge in book bans.

Congrats to Mary Rasenberger, @authorsguild.org CEO, on being named one of the 2025 "50 Most Influential People in IP" AND a "Publishers Weekly Notable Person of the Year.” Learn more about Mary's work!

60+ Small Tasks to Defend the Right to Read: Book Censorship News, January 9, 2026 No one is coming to save us, so we must do it ourselves. Here are 60+ small tasks to help defend the right to read in 2026 and beyond.

Looking for a way to fight book censorship? Book Riot put together 60 of them!

This should be major news: literally dozens of book bans in Canada today, because of a ministerial order by Alberta's provincial government. The titles are being withheld by the school districts... I think Canadians have a right to know what books are being banned in our public schools.

The Guild's Take In creating a chat feature that allows readers to ask questions about a book— including analysis and summaries— Amazon is possibly creating a derivate use, not a mere search function. We have shared our concerns with Amazon, and appreciate the company's willingness to share information and hear us out, as well as the tweaks it has made since launch.

​Venezuela: PEN International calls for urgent guarantees for press freedom  — PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide “When journalists and writers are harassed, detained or deported for doing their work, the public’s right to information is undermined. PEN International condemns the arbitrary detention of journalist...

PEN International is deeply alarmed by further deterioration of press freedom in Venezuela.

This week a wave of arbitrary detentions, intimidation, surveillance and censorship included the detention of at least 14 journalists and media workers in Caracas:

www.pen-international.org/news/venezue...

The Authors Guild has significant concerns with Amazon’s new “Ask this Book” feature, which has been available since December 11, 2025. The Guild is looking into whether the feature, which was added without permission from publishers or authors, might infringe authors’ and publishers’ rights.

I got stranded in Germany for days. It gave me faith in humanity. Storms and military actions stranded travelers on both sides of the Atlantic.

I got stranded in Germany for days. It gave me faith in humanity. www.sfgate.com/travel/artic... #travel #Europe

I opened a bookshop. It was the best, worst thing I’ve ever done Chloe Fox shares the hopes and heartache of fulfilling a life-long dream

“Because bookshops make everything better, don’t they? The smell of them, the silence of them, the sense of possibility that each and every one of the books they house promises. A great book has the power to change your way of looking at the world.”

#SchoolLibraries #FreedomToRead

#speechwriting Excerpt: “May we all keep speaking—and listening—with intention, with integrity, and with the belief that truth, however contested, is still worth fighting for” #PublicSpeaking #AwardCeremony

A rough year for journalists in 2025, with a little hope for things to turn around By most measures, 2025 was a rough year for those who care about freedom of the press

"It’s safe to say this assault on the press over the past year has probably been the most aggressive that we’ve seen in modern times," said Tim Richardson, program director for journalism and disinformation at PEN America. abcnews.go.com/Business/wir...

Op-ed: Why transportation should be an issue in mayoral election When planners talk about how improving transportation options can improve quality of life, we mean saving New Yorkers time, money, and stress in their everyday lives.

"lawlessness on the streets fuels a more general sense of disorder and anxiety about the state of the city: Speeding, red light violations, and sidewalk parking are not only illegal but antisocial."

#speechwriting

Good to read: “much stiffer penalties for recidivist speeders & red light runners" - new DOT commissioner Flynn

'R-Word' Use Surges Following Trump Post After President Donald Trump used the word "retarded" recently, social media posts including the term tripled, fueling a trend that has disability advocates on edge.

After President Donald Trump used the word "retarded" recently, social media posts including the term tripled, fueling a trend that has disability advocates on edge. #disabilities #rword

samizdat noun sa·miz·dat ˈsä-mēz-ˌdät : a system in the Soviet Union and countries within its orbit by which government-suppressed literature was clandestinely printed and distributed also : such literature

I kept seeing people use the word samizdat to refer to the Canadian sourcing of the 60 Minutes report on CECOT pulled by Bari Weiss. Here's the definition from Merriam-Webster: