letters to the editor

• Members of the LPL Board of Control who voted to censor books & movies (Robert Judge)
• Members of the LPL Board of Control who voted to fire librarian Cara Chance (Robert Judge)
• Letters in protest of the board’s 2023 decision to disaffiliate from the American Library Association, as well as members of the LPL Board of Control who voted for the motion (Arsement, Judge, Kelly, Moore, Padron)
• Letters protesting the board’s 2024 decision to ban all displays recognizing political, social, or ideological topics and other topics considered to be controversial or potentially controversial, as well as members of the LPL Board of Control who voted for the motion (Arsement, Judge, Kelly, Moore, Padron)
• Letters in support of libraries, and the vital role they play in our communities by supplying us with with books that reflect the diversity of the area.
• Letters in support of librarians, whose work is so important to the success of our libraries.

Talking Points:

• Mention any recent articles the paper has run on censorship efforts in our area (include the date). Explain why, as a member of the public, you do not support the restriction of access to materials.
• Explain that young people deserve access to information, and that public libraries are vital sources of information in our community.
• Explain the function of librarians – to select a wide range of materials which reflect the WHOLE of the community; explain that librarians have professional standards, selection guidelines, professional review journals, etc to guide them. They DO NOT, however, act in loco parentis, i.e. in the place of parents. It is the parent’s duty to supervise their OWN children in the library. Censorship advocates often focus their efforts here, and the result is a small group of parents making decisions for ALL parents who utilize the library.
• Government interference in the selection of books isn’t a partisan issue – it is an issue which affects us all. First Amendment freedoms which guarantee access to information should be a priority for every American, because what can be taken from one can be taken from all.

Other Tips:

• Be timely – the sooner you send a letter after an event, meeting, or censorship issue arises, the better. Our aim is to keep the issue in the public eye.
• Stay on message – keep your letter succinct, and to the point. Stick to the word count, and try to limit yourself to only one or two talking points.
• Be sincere – speak from your heart; writing about how censorship affects you personally is important and impactful.

Links for Submitting Letters:

• The Advocate (limit 300 words)

• NOLA.com (limit 300 words)

• The Daily Iberian (limit 400 words)