“Faith for Libraries”  Campaign Will Combat Book Censorship, Defend Religious Freedom

Interfaith Alliance, a national leader in defending civil rights and multi-faith democracy, today is launching a new campaign with the American Library Association and the Unite Against Book Bans initiative to combat book censorship and defend the freedom to read. “Faith for Libraries: Diverse Faith Communities Supporting Libraries and Librarians” formalizes and expands the groups’ ongoing work to defend libraries and librarians from censorship, emphasizing that faith communities have a critical role to play in this struggle.  

The partnership kicks off today with a public webinar at 4 pm ET featuring ALA President Sam Helmick, Interfaith Alliance President and CEO Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, and other noted faith and library leaders, to discuss why book bans threaten religious freedom and how faith communities and library workers can come together to advocate for the right to read. Over 1,000 participants are expected on the call. 

The organizations will launch a pledge for people of faith to defend the freedom to read, and a campaign for houses of worship to send supportive postcards to their local librarians. They will also announce a major event in Chicago next year to coincide with the American Library Association annual convention.    

“Too often, libraries are portrayed as at odds with people of faith, while extremists claim their religion as a justification for censorship,” said Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance. “In truth, so many people of faith in our country use and benefit from libraries, treasuring them as shared communal spaces where everyone’s sacred books are welcome and where all books and perspectives are treated as equally sacred. Religious communities can and must stand up for our public libraries to ensure they remain places for people of all faiths and backgrounds to learn, grow, and connect.”

“From their beginnings, library leaders saw librarianship as a civic calling, a ministry of service that strengthens communities by ensuring access to knowledge, opportunity and culture,” said Sam Helmick, president of the American Library Association. “That calling is enshrined in the Library Bill of Rights, which affirms that every person deserves access to information, regardless of belief, class or background. Libraries need every voice – religious and secular, artistic and scientific, young and old – to sing in chorus for the freedom to read.”

There has been a dramatic increase in recent years in efforts to ban books in our nation’s schools and libraries, and in the targeting of books written by or representing particular faith communities and identities. In 2024, Interfaith Alliance and Unite Against Book Bans created “Banned Books, Banned Beliefs,” a shared digital resource showing how people of faith can fight back against the use of religion as a cover for attempts to censor libraries. 

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‍Media Contact: Ben DePasquale, [email protected]

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‍Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit interfaithalliance.org.

‍The American Library Association is the largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to America’s libraries. The ALA mission is to empower and advocate for all libraries and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all. For nearly 150 years, ALA has provided resources for information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more information, visit www.ala.org.