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Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Rutherford library board rescinds decision to remove books on transgender issues
A unanimous Rutherford County Library System Board voted June 2 to rescind a March decision to remove books promoting "transgenderism or 'gender confusion' in minors." Pending new board chairman Cody York called for the vote after he had persuaded the majority in March to remove the books on transgender topics "to protect children." York prior to the June 2 vote said the board could face First Amendment legal challenges to the March decision. Those opposing include the National Coalition Against Censorship in New York. First Amendment issues for students: ACLU warns Rutherford school board about removing 'Beloved,' other books from libraries Legal counsel has advised the board about potentially losing a lawsuit based on the library system's policy to oppose censorship by the officials and allow parents to decide what books are permitted for their children, York suggested. The book removing policy divided the board and audience members, including one holding a "No more book bans" sign. Heather Ahmie held a sign saying, "Literacy & Justice for All," to promote free speech during the meeting with over 70 people in attendance at Murfreesboro City Hall in Council Chambers. York promised he'd lead the board in crafting new policies to protect children when he begins his term as chairman by July to replace outgoing chairman Phil King. The roll call vote had two board members abstaining: Dina Piazza and King. First Amendment issue: Divided Rutherford County Library System Board bans transgender books 'to protect children' Before rescinding the March decision on removing books on transgender topics to protect children, the board heard about six speeches from audience members opposed to censorship. There were audience members present who showed support for York and his position, but none of them came to the lectern to speak. The speakers included Wonderland Rogers, who identifies as a transgender male. He questioned the majority's previous decision to remove books. 'You made it clear you want me to disappear," Rogers told the board. Rogers also made an insulting remark alluding to York being in a white shirt, which is also what many audience members wear to show support for the book removal decisions. Chairman King responded by saying he won't tolerate anyone making insults again. April 2025 library board meeting: Rutherford Library Board delays vote to possibly rescinding vote to remove transgender books Speaker Hannah Stromgren also questioned the board's previous decision to protect children as if "fearful that reading a book with a trans or gay character will turn kids trans or gay." "When you read the Bible, did it make you want to throw babies against rocks?" said Stromgren, who noted the biblical scriptures include descriptions of incest, human sacrifice and murder. "Reading a book with material that you personally don't agree with doesn't automatically create children that mirror those attributes," Stromgren said. Free speech scholar Nadine Strossen: Rutherford school board violates law by removing books Speaker Jessica Bruce urged the library board members to focus on the mission of the library system "to improve lives and empower its communities to explore, imagine and engage by providing information and technology." "Your job is to represent the community and everyone in it," Bruce told the board. "Everyone. That includes those of us in opposition. Each book the board has banned has been because of that book's LGBTQIA+ relationship and ties to the community. Your actions are not protecting any child. In fact, you are actually putting an entire demographic of children at danger." Free speech issue: Rutherford library officials draw national opposition for removing books on transgender issues The library board also heard from Tatiana Silvas, a 10-year English teacher for Rutherford County Schools. "I am a passionate lover of books and their impact," said Silvas, who teaches at Stewarts Creek High in southwest Smyrna. "However, I am always in support of a parent's right to choose what their child reads in my classroom." Censorship: Rutherford schools removal of 160 more books draws opposition from 1st Amendment advocates Although a supporter of parents making decisions on what their children read, Silvas said board members making decisions on removing books "seems excessive." "The narrative of obscene content in our libraires is one perpetuated by certain board members and their army of community members," Silvas said. "This group has also pushed the Rutherford County School Board into a legal battle with the ACLU, something they were warned of by a letter on September 16, 2024." 'We are banished' Rutherford schools book banning upsets free speech advocates Silvas noted that the library board members have received warnings from national free speech organizations about the March decision to remove books. Other communities, Silvas said, have faced thousands of dollars in costs to defend censorship decisions, including in Escambia County, Florida, and Crawford County, Arkansas. "With our budget of $4.2 million each year, just one lawsuit could pull over 11% of our annual budget," Silvas said. "This means that Rutherford County taxpayers will foot the bill if you choose to go to trial with this lawsuit and lose." Censorship lawsuit: ACLU files First Amendment lawsuit against Rutherford school board for book bans Prior to rescinding the March decision on removing books on transgender topics to protect children, the majority of the board in a 5-3 vote backed York to be the next chairman. York had the support of board members Marzee Woodward, Susan Quesenberry, Piazza and Sam Huddleston, who's also Murfreesboro assistant city manager. All of them previously voted in favor of the March decision to remove books on transgender topics to protect children. Fellow board member Kory Wells called for the minority position of having Lisa Brewer, who's also the elected Smyrna Town Court clerk, become the chairwoman of the board. Brewer also had the backing of vice chairman Rollie Holden to be the next leader of the board. Wells suggested that York and herself as outspoken advocates on opposite sides of the transgender book issue would not make for the best leaders of the board. 'Deeply concerned': Removing transgender books affects Rutherford library director search Board members and audience members should be "treating each other as neighbors" and "go sit with somebody on the other side," Wells said. "That's our job," Wells said. Wells also noted that the board has already faced $8,000 in legal fees because of the March decision to remove books on transgender topics to protect children. King, the board's current chairman, abstained from voting on his successor for the library board. Board member Benjamin Groce of Murfreesboro was absent from the June 2 meeting because of his legal work with the Smyrna government. In March, Groce joined Wells and other members of the minority vote to oppose removing books on transgender topics. Groce mentioned being an attorney and officer of the court with concerns about supporting unconstitutional positions. August 2023 decisions by library board: Library supporters upset by board pulling 4 books say they're 'fighting against censorship' Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@ support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription. This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Rutherford library board rescinds decision to remove transgender books
The Star
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
In the US, a wave of new owners brings fresh energy to independent bookselling
Amber Salazar is the kind of idealist you just knew would end up running a bookstore — a lifelong reader who felt angered 'to the core' as she learned of book bans around the country. A resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Salazar last year opened Banned Wagon Books, a pop-up store she sets up everywhere from wineries to coffee shops, featuring such frequently censored works as Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer, Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give and Toni Morrison's Beloved. 'I decided that no matter what it looked like, I was going to open a bookstore so that I could contribute in some small way and stand up for intellectual freedom in the US,' explains Salazar, 33, who donates 5% of her profits to the American Library Association and other organisations opposing bans. 'Since we were coming out of the pandemic at that time, I started thinking about ways to combine my love of literature and passion for intellectual freedom with my appreciation for the small businesses in my city who weathered some difficult storms through shutdowns and supply chain concerns.' Salazar is among a wave of new — and, often, younger — owners who have helped the independent book community dramatically expand, intensify and diversify. Independent bookselling is not a field for fortune seekers: Most local stores, whether run by retirees, bookworms or those switching careers in middle age, have some sense of higher purpose. But for many who opened in recent years, it's an especially critical mission. Narrative in Somerville, Massachusetts, identifies as 'proudly immigrant-woman owned and operated, with an emphasis on amplifying marginalised voices and experiences.' In Chicago, Call & Response places 'the voices of Black and other authors of colour at the centre of our work.' Independent stores in the US will likely never recover their power of 50 years ago, before the rise of Barnes & Noble superstores and the online giant This photo provided by Salazar shows the pop-up bookshop Banned Wagon Books at Dynamo Coffee Roasting Co in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Photo: Amber Salazar via AP But the days of industry predictions of their demise seem well behind. In 2016, there were 1,244 members in the American Booksellers Association trade group, at 1,749 locations. As of this month, the ABA has 2,863 individual members, at 3,281 locations. And more than 200 stores are in the process of opening. 'It's incredible, this kind of energy,' says association CEO Allison Hill, remembering how, during the pandemic, she feared that the ABA could lose up to a quarter of its membership. 'I don't think any of us would have predicted this a few years ago.' Hill and others acknowledge that even during an era of growth, booksellers remain vulnerable to political and economic challenges. Costs of supplies remain high and could grow higher because of President Donald Trump's tariffs. ABA President Cynthia Compton, who runs two stores in the Indianapolis area, says that sales to schools are down because censorship laws have made educators more cautious about what they purchase. The ABA's own website advises: 'Passion and knowledge have to be combined with business acumen if your bookstore is to succeed.' Salazar herself is part of an Instagram chat group, Bookstores Helping Bookstores, with such like-minded sellers as the owners of The Crafty Bookstore in Bloomington, Indiana, 'specialising in indie books and custom bookish accessories,' and the Florida-based Chapter Bound, an online store with a calling 'to connect great books with great people — at prices everyone can afford.' Books seen at the Third Annual Winter(ish) Market, hosted by Lost Friend Brewing Company, last November in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Photo: Amber Salazar via AP 'In the age of social media, people are craving genuine connection and community,' says Salazar. 'And books often provide a catalyst to that feeling of community.' Stephen Sparks, who is 47 and since 2017 has owned Point Reyes Books northwest of San Francisco, believes that the pandemic gave sellers of all ages a heightened sense of their role in the community and that the return of Trump to the White House added new urgency. Sales are up 20% this year, he says, if only because 'during tough times, people come to bookstores.' The younger owners bring with them a wide range of prior experience. Salazar had worked in retail management for nine years, switched to property and casualty insurance sales 'in search of advancement opportunity' and, right before she launched her store, was a business process owner, 'a blend of project management, customer and employee experience management.' Courtney Bledsoe, owner of Call & Response, had been a corporate attorney before undertaking a 'full career shift' and risking a substantial drop in income. The 30-year-old held no illusions that owning a store meant 'pouring a cup of coffee and reading all day.' Calling herself 'risk averse,' she researched the book retail business as if preparing for a trial, before committing herself and launching Call & Response in May 2024. 'This endeavour is probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life,' she says, acknowledging it could take a couple of years before she can even pay herself a salary. 'We're just doing this to serve the community, doing something we love to do, providing people with great events, great reading. It's been a real joy.' – AP
22-05-2025
- Business
A wave of new owners brings fresh energy to independent bookselling
NEW YORK -- Amber Salazar is the kind of idealist you just knew would end up running a bookstore — a lifelong reader who felt angered 'to the core' as she learned of book bans around the country. A resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Salazar last year opened Banned Wagon Books, a pop-up store she sets up everywhere from wineries to coffee shops, featuring such frequently censored works as Maia Kobabe's 'Gender Queer,' Angie Thomas' 'The Hate U Give' and Toni Morrison's 'Beloved.' 'I decided that no matter what it looked like, I was going to open a bookstore so that I could contribute in some small way and stand up for intellectual freedom in the U.S.,' explains Salazar, 33, who donates 5% of her profits to the American Library Association and other organizations opposing bans. 'Since we were coming out of the pandemic at that time, I started thinking about ways to combine my love of literature and passion for intellectual freedom with my appreciation for the small businesses in my city who weathered some difficult storms through shutdowns and supply chain concerns.' Salazar is among a wave of new — and, often, younger — owners who have helped the independent book community dramatically expand, intensify and diversify. Independent bookselling is not a field for fortune seekers: Most local stores, whether run by retirees, bookworms or those switching careers in middle age, have some sense of higher purpose. But for many who opened in recent years, it's an especially critical mission. Narrative in Somerville, Massachusetts, identifies as 'proudly immigrant-woman owned & operated, with an emphasis on amplifying marginalized voices & experiences.' In Chicago, Call & Response places 'the voices of Black and other authors of color at the center of our work.' Independent stores will likely never recover their power of 50 years ago, before the rise of Barnes & Noble superstores and the online giant But the days of industry predictions of their demise seem well behind. In 2016, there were 1,244 members in the American Booksellers Association trade group, at 1,749 locations. As of this month, the ABA has 2,863 individual members, at 3,281 locations. And more than 200 stores are in the process of opening. 'It's incredible, this kind of energy,' says association CEO Allison Hill, remembering how, during the pandemic, she feared that the ABA could lose up to a quarter of its membership. 'I don't think any of us would have predicted this a few years ago.' Hill and others acknowledge that even during an era of growth, booksellers remain vulnerable to political and economic challenges. Costs of supplies remain high and could grow higher because of President Donald Trump's tariffs. ABA President Cynthia Compton, who runs two stores in the Indianapolis area, says that sales to schools are down because censorship laws have made educators more cautious about what they purchase. The ABA's own website advises: 'Passion and knowledge have to be combined with business acumen if your bookstore is to succeed.' Salazar herself is part of an Instagram chat group, Bookstores Helping Bookstores, with such like-minded sellers as the owners of The Crafty Bookstore in Bloomington, Indiana, 'specializing in Indie books & custom bookish accessories,' and the Florida-based Chapter Bound, an online store with a calling 'to connect great books with great people — at prices everyone can afford.' 'In the age of social media, people are craving genuine connection and community,' Salazar says. 'And books often provide a catalyst to that feeling of community.' Stephen Sparks, who is 47 and since 2017 has owned Point Reyes Books northwest of San Francisco, believes that the pandemic gave sellers of all ages a heightened sense of their role in the community and that the return of Trump to the White House added new urgency. Sales are up 20% this year, he says, if only because 'during tough times, people come to bookstores.' The younger owners bring with them a wide range of prior experience. Salazar had worked in retail management for nine years, switched to property and casualty insurance sales 'in search of advancement opportunity' and, right before she launched her store, was a business process owner, 'a blend of project management, customer and employee experience management.' Courtney Bledsoe, owner of Call & Response, had been a corporate attorney before undertaking a 'full career shift' and risking a substantial drop in income. The 30-year-old held no illusions that owning a store meant 'pouring a cup of coffee and reading all day.' Calling herself 'risk averse,' she researched the book retail business as if preparing for a trial, before committing herself and launching Call & Response in May 2024. 'This endeavor is probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life,' she says, acknowledging it could take a couple of years before she can even pay herself a salary. 'We're just doing this to serve the community, doing something we love to do, providing people with great events, great reading. It's been a real joy.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A wave of new owners brings fresh energy to independent bookselling
NEW YORK (AP) — Amber Salazar is the kind of idealist you just knew would end up running a bookstore — a lifelong reader who felt angered 'to the core' as she learned of book bans around the country. A resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Salazar last year opened Banned Wagon Books, a pop-up store she sets up everywhere from wineries to coffee shops, featuring such frequently censored works as Maia Kobabe's 'Gender Queer,' Angie Thomas' 'The Hate U Give' and Toni Morrison's 'Beloved.' 'I decided that no matter what it looked like, I was going to open a bookstore so that I could contribute in some small way and stand up for intellectual freedom in the U.S.,' explains Salazar, 33, who donates 5% of her profits to the American Library Association and other organizations opposing bans. 'Since we were coming out of the pandemic at that time, I started thinking about ways to combine my love of literature and passion for intellectual freedom with my appreciation for the small businesses in my city who weathered some difficult storms through shutdowns and supply chain concerns.' Salazar is among a wave of new — and, often, younger — owners who have helped the independent book community dramatically expand, intensify and diversify. Independent bookselling is not a field for fortune seekers: Most local stores, whether run by retirees, bookworms or those switching careers in middle age, have some sense of higher purpose. But for many who opened in recent years, it's an especially critical mission. Narrative in Somerville, Massachusetts, identifies as 'proudly immigrant-woman owned & operated, with an emphasis on amplifying marginalized voices & experiences.' In Chicago, Call & Response places 'the voices of Black and other authors of color at the center of our work.' Independent stores will likely never recover their power of 50 years ago, before the rise of Barnes & Noble superstores and the online giant But the days of industry predictions of their demise seem well behind. In 2016, there were 1,244 members in the American Booksellers Association trade group, at 1,749 locations. As of this month, the ABA has 2,863 individual members, at 3,281 locations. And more than 200 stores are in the process of opening. 'It's incredible, this kind of energy,' says association CEO Allison Hill, remembering how, during the pandemic, she feared that the ABA could lose up to a quarter of its membership. 'I don't think any of us would have predicted this a few years ago.' Hill and others acknowledge that even during an era of growth, booksellers remain vulnerable to political and economic challenges. Costs of supplies remain high and could grow higher because of President Donald Trump's tariffs. ABA President Cynthia Compton, who runs two stores in the Indianapolis area, says that sales to schools are down because censorship laws have made educators more cautious about what they purchase. The ABA's own website advises: 'Passion and knowledge have to be combined with business acumen if your bookstore is to succeed.' Salazar herself is part of an Instagram chat group, Bookstores Helping Bookstores, with such like-minded sellers as the owners of The Crafty Bookstore in Bloomington, Indiana, 'specializing in Indie books & custom bookish accessories,' and the Florida-based Chapter Bound, an online store with a calling 'to connect great books with great people — at prices everyone can afford.' 'In the age of social media, people are craving genuine connection and community,' Salazar says. 'And books often provide a catalyst to that feeling of community.' Stephen Sparks, who is 47 and since 2017 has owned Point Reyes Books northwest of San Francisco, believes that the pandemic gave sellers of all ages a heightened sense of their role in the community and that the return of Trump to the White House added new urgency. Sales are up 20% this year, he says, if only because 'during tough times, people come to bookstores.' The younger owners bring with them a wide range of prior experience. Salazar had worked in retail management for nine years, switched to property and casualty insurance sales 'in search of advancement opportunity' and, right before she launched her store, was a business process owner, 'a blend of project management, customer and employee experience management.' Courtney Bledsoe, owner of Call & Response, had been a corporate attorney before undertaking a 'full career shift' and risking a substantial drop in income. The 30-year-old held no illusions that owning a store meant 'pouring a cup of coffee and reading all day.' Calling herself 'risk averse,' she researched the book retail business as if preparing for a trial, before committing herself and launching Call & Response in May 2024. 'This endeavor is probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life,' she says, acknowledging it could take a couple of years before she can even pay herself a salary. 'We're just doing this to serve the community, doing something we love to do, providing people with great events, great reading. It's been a real joy.'
Hamilton Spectator
22-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
A wave of new owners brings fresh energy to independent bookselling
NEW YORK (AP) — Amber Salazar is the kind of idealist you just knew would end up running a bookstore — a lifelong reader who felt angered 'to the core' as she learned of book bans around the country. A resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Salazar last year opened Banned Wagon Books, a pop-up store she sets up everywhere from wineries to coffee shops, featuring such frequently censored works as Maia Kobabe's 'Gender Queer,' Angie Thomas' 'The Hate U Give' and Toni Morrison's 'Beloved.' 'I decided that no matter what it looked like, I was going to open a bookstore so that I could contribute in some small way and stand up for intellectual freedom in the U.S.,' explains Salazar, 33, who donates 5% of her profits to the American Library Association and other organizations opposing bans. 'Since we were coming out of the pandemic at that time, I started thinking about ways to combine my love of literature and passion for intellectual freedom with my appreciation for the small businesses in my city who weathered some difficult storms through shutdowns and supply chain concerns.' Salazar is among a wave of new — and, often, younger — owners who have helped the independent book community dramatically expand, intensify and diversify. Independent bookselling is not a field for fortune seekers: Most local stores, whether run by retirees, bookworms or those switching careers in middle age, have some sense of higher purpose. But for many who opened in recent years, it's an especially critical mission. Narrative in Somerville, Massachusetts, identifies as 'proudly immigrant-woman owned & operated, with an emphasis on amplifying marginalized voices & experiences.' In Chicago, Call & Response places 'the voices of Black and other authors of color at the center of our work.' Independent stores will likely never recover their power of 50 years ago, before the rise of Barnes & Noble superstores and the online giant . But the days of industry predictions of their demise seem well behind. In 2016, there were 1,244 members in the American Booksellers Association trade group, at 1,749 locations. As of this month, the ABA has 2,863 individual members, at 3,281 locations. And more than 200 stores are in the process of opening. 'It's incredible, this kind of energy,' says association CEO Allison Hill, remembering how, during the pandemic, she feared that the ABA could lose up to a quarter of its membership. 'I don't think any of us would have predicted this a few years ago.' Hill and others acknowledge that even during an era of growth, booksellers remain vulnerable to political and economic challenges. Costs of supplies remain high and could grow higher because of President Donald Trump's tariffs. ABA President Cynthia Compton, who runs two stores in the Indianapolis area, says that sales to schools are down because censorship laws have made educators more cautious about what they purchase. The ABA's own website advises: 'Passion and knowledge have to be combined with business acumen if your bookstore is to succeed.' Salazar herself is part of an Instagram chat group, Bookstores Helping Bookstores, with such like-minded sellers as the owners of The Crafty Bookstore in Bloomington, Indiana, 'specializing in Indie books & custom bookish accessories,' and the Florida-based Chapter Bound, an online store with a calling 'to connect great books with great people — at prices everyone can afford.' 'In the age of social media, people are craving genuine connection and community,' Salazar says. 'And books often provide a catalyst to that feeling of community.' Stephen Sparks, who is 47 and since 2017 has owned Point Reyes Books northwest of San Francisco, believes that the pandemic gave sellers of all ages a heightened sense of their role in the community and that the return of Trump to the White House added new urgency. Sales are up 20% this year, he says, if only because 'during tough times, people come to bookstores.' The younger owners bring with them a wide range of prior experience. Salazar had worked in retail management for nine years, switched to property and casualty insurance sales 'in search of advancement opportunity' and, right before she launched her store, was a business process owner, 'a blend of project management, customer and employee experience management.' Courtney Bledsoe, owner of Call & Response, had been a corporate attorney before undertaking a 'full career shift' and risking a substantial drop in income. The 30-year-old held no illusions that owning a store meant 'pouring a cup of coffee and reading all day.' Calling herself 'risk averse,' she researched the book retail business as if preparing for a trial, before committing herself and launching Call & Response in May 2024. 'This endeavor is probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life,' she says, acknowledging it could take a couple of years before she can even pay herself a salary. 'We're just doing this to serve the community, doing something we love to do, providing people with great events, great reading. It's been a real joy.'
