Index
Illinois Ban on Book Bans
Summary
In 2023, Illinois became the first state in the nation to explicitly outlaw the practice of banning books in public libraries and public school libraries for partisan or doctrinal reasons.
Rights & Rules
- 01.Public libraries and schools CANNOT remove books or materials from their shelves simply because a group or individual objects to the political, personal, or religious views expressed in the book.
- 02.To be eligible for state funding, every public library in Illinois must adopt the American Library Association's 'Library Bill of Rights' or draft their own policy stating that reading materials will not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
- 03.Parents still have the right to dictate what their OWN children read, but they cannot demand the library restrict access for everyone else.
Penalties
- 01.If a public library or school district bows to political pressure and bans books in violation of this law, the state will cut off all of their state library grant funding.
Verified Citations
Illinois Public Act 103-0100
Source"It is the policy of the State of Illinois to encourage and protect the freedom of libraries and library systems to acquire materials without external limitation and to be protected against attempts to ban, remove, or otherwise restrict access to books or other materials."