What happens when political groups decide which books belong on library shelves? When stories about racism and LGBTQ+ lives are labelled “inappropriate”? When librarians are publicly accused of being “groomers” simply for making those books available? In the United States these questions are not hypothetical. In 2021, Texas State Representative Matt Krause compiled a list of more than 850 books that schools were urged to review for supposedly objectionable content. Many of the titles dealt with race, racism, gender, or LGBTQ+ identities. Since then, coordinated campaigns to challenge and remove books from schools and libraries have spread across the country, with librarians increasingly becoming the targets of intimidation, harassment, and political pressure.

In The Librarians, award-winning filmmaker Kim A. Snyder follows librarians who refuse to give in to censorship despite mounting hostility and personal attacks. Their stories raise urgent questions about freedom of expression, democracy, and the vital role libraries play in an open society.

Following the screening, there will be a conversation with a panel of experts, exploring what book bans and censorship mean beyond the American context. How should universities, libraries, and society respond when access to knowledge comes under pressure? And what can we learn from the experiences of the librarians featured in the film?