Maine librarians are making headlines right now in the fight against censorship. A bill proposed in the Maine legislature aims to protect children in schools from "inappropriate and obscene materials" by banning certain books. Proponents of the bill say they don't want children to come into contact with materials they may find "humiliating or distressing." This comes at a time of national debate around censorship and book banning. Book challenges are historically rare in Maine, but we have seen 12 challenges in 2022 and 8 this year. The books being challenged usually have themes of racism, gender and sexual identity, or addiction. 
    Librarians and many others are concerned about this proposal. In addition to being vague and difficult to interpret, a bill banning these allegedly "obscene materials" would prevent librarians from helping patrons "learn about themselves, process their experiences, and understand the world around them."
    John Chrastka, the executive director of the Illinois non-profit EveryLibrary, says, "It is troubling to have librarians and educators labeled as trying to harm children. Sometimes there are difficult books in collections, but that does not mean they are obscene or harmful." We stand with Maine libraries in their fight against censorship!
   

Sourced from this Portland Press article