Dear Friends of FAIR,
Every October, Banned Books Week arrives with a familiar script: one side warns that censorship is sweeping the nation, and the other insists nobody is banning anything. Both camps dig in their heels, and the public walks away more confused than before.
This year, Banned Books Week runs October 4–10 and ends with Freedom to Read Day on October 10. FAIR believed this debate deserves better framing. We should ask not only which books are being removed, but which books never reached shelves at all.
When officials pull books from a public library because they dislike the ideas inside, intellectual freedom suffers. But a more insidious form of censorship often happens earlier, when the people choosing books decide certain perspectives simply don’t belong in libraries. As a result, a library can loudly celebrate Banned Books Week while stocking dozens of titles on one side of a contested issue and ignoring the others.
FAIR’s solution is simple: a neutral library that doesn’t tell patrons what to think, offers viewpoint diversity, applies its policies fairly, and trusts readers to decide for themselves. That is the mission of FAIR in Libraries (FiL).
FiL now has its own page on our website. This year, FiL has:
Released the Neutrality & Viewpoint Diversity Toolkit
Published a series of Substack articles on library neutrality and collection bias
Built a collaboration with the Association of Library Professionals
Developed the Library Watchers Project
Each of these resources gives parents, patrons, librarians, and board members practical tools to keep libraries open to every point of view, and your gift decides how far that work reaches. The Library Neutrality Fund supports FAIR’s library work, from new resources to the Library Watchers Project. If you have ever found your library’s shelves tilted in one direction, help us tip them back toward balance.
Library neutrality succeeds or fails one purchase decision at a time, and sometimes the clearest evidence comes from a single patron who asks. FiL member Dr. Anne Mulhern asked her local public library to add a book her community wanted, and her story — which we shared yesterday — became the seed of a new initiative.
Through our new Incident Reporting page FiL is now collecting cases where a public library excluded a book despite clearly expressed community demand. Reports are welcome from anywhere in North America. Library systems differ by region, and bias can show up in different ways. One story is easy to dismiss, but a documented record of incidents reveals the larger pattern.
For Banned Books Week, the FiL team has also refreshed its Banned Books Week Resources page, which curates perspectives from across the spectrum: PEN America and the ALA, FIRE, Heterodox Libraries, and scholars who question whether “book ban” counts tell the whole story.
Read widely and disagree freely. That’s the essence of library neutrality.
October is also Canadian Library Month, and this year’s theme is “Loud for Libraries.” We agree. Being loud for libraries means showing up at board meetings, requesting the books your community wants, and insisting that book collections reflect the full range of views your neighbors hold.
Few people understand this better than Cathy Simpson, who leads FiL. Cathy plans to submit her application for a seat on her local library board following the October 26th municipal elections in Ontario. Municipal councils are responsible for appointing library board members, typically within a few months of taking office. She will share her experience in an upcoming Substack article. Stay tuned.
This Banned Books Week, be bold. Pick up a book you expect to disagree with. Check whether your library carries it. If not, request it. And if your request goes nowhere, let us know so we can take action.
With gratitude,
Monica Harris
Executive Director, FAIR
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Educators Alliance
FAIR is continuing the Educators Alliance for the 2026-2027 school year to equip PK–12 educators with the knowledge, strategies, and community support they need to foster schools that are more enriching and free from bias for students and educators.
We are at a turning point for education—and with the relaunch of FAIR’s Educators Alliance, we have an opportunity to step beyond polarization and create classrooms rooted in curiosity, dignity, and respect.
Each monthly gathering will open with updates and presentations from FAIR staff, fellows, Chapter Leaders, and occasional guest speakers. Together, we’ll explore strategies for supporting educators, communities, and local chapters—and for advancing positive change at the local, regional, and national levels. Following presentations, participants will have space for open forum discussions to connect, seek advice, and coordinate on pressing issues in their schools. Breakout rooms will be divided into PK-6 and 7-12 grade levels with experienced teachers facilitating those conversations.
Educators will also be invited to contribute to a new FAIR in Education newsletter, showcasing stories, strategies, and resources from across the FAIR network.
Whether you are a teacher, paraprofessional, or administrator, join us as we continue the FAIR Educators Alliance and shape the future of education together.
There are 6 meetings left to sign up for down below.
Next Session: Nov 5th, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Thu, until Apr 1, 2027, 1 hr sessions, 7 occurrences
Note: Despite Zoom’s notice, FAIR maintains strict confidentiality of contact information provided.
OTI Conference on Political Bias and Mental Health
Earlier this year FAIR announced its collaboration with the Open Therapy Institute read here.
FAIR members are invited to join the Open Therapy Institute‘s Conference on Political Bias and Mental Health, October 9–11, in Washington, DC.
The program features a live podcast recording with Rob Henderson and Erica Komisar, a panel with Sally Satel, and more. 9.25 CE credits available.
Use code OTISPECIALRATE2026 for 50% off. Register here.
We hope to see you in DC!
Speechless Film Screening
Save the Date: October 28, 2026
Join FAIR for an exclusive screening of Speechless, a provocative documentary exploring the battle over free speech on college campuses and what it means for the future of higher education and democracy.
The 102-minute film will be followed by a 45-minute discussion.
October 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT. More details and registration coming soon.
Note to readers: We have paused the FAIR News podcast. If you prefer listening, rather than reading these newsletters, an audio version is available directly on the Substack app. Thank you for tuning in!
These banned book lists are ironically promoted more aggressively by the library than other books and I’m sure they have more copies of these “banned” books than others that present a counter perspective.
I asked my local library to buy a vampire romance novel I REALLY wanted, and they said they "didn't have it in the budget." Yeah, right! I think they just have a secret prejudice against vampires! They had a copy of Dracula, after all!
And, of course, when people think "unimaginable wealth," they think "libraries." Libraries have infinite money to get whatever books they want, even if only a couple patrons will check those books out, right?