Censorship in Virginia Libraries Oral Histories

About this collection

This collection of oral histories offers personal narratives from library professionals and advocates across Virginia, capturing their experiences amidst a tide of book challenges and censorship efforts that arose early in the 2020s. Libraries became focal points within broader cultural and political forces, leading to increased challenges to materials and programming.This put unique pressures on the individuals that worked in libraries or served as advocates for intellectual freedom on library boards and as community activists.

A Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) librarian initially interviewed association leaders on the topic in 2023. A wider project was then undertaken in partnership with the Virginia Library Association’s (VLA) Intellectual Freedom Committee to collect oral histories to better understand the impact of these censorship efforts on the personal and professional lives of those working within and advocating for Virginia's libraries. Through oral history interviews, they sought to document some of the challenges faced, strategies employed, and emotional toll exacted by these efforts.

Within this collection, you will find the voices of librarians, library staff, board members, and community advocates. Their testimonies offer firsthand accounts of navigating a complex landscape, providing insights into the realities of intellectual freedom battles in the 21st century. It should be noted that conceptions of what constitutes censorship varies amongst the people represented here.

Due to hostile climates in certain locations and potential retaliation that could impact safety and employment, some individuals selected pseudonyms. Others are personally identified by their names. Participants also shared information about the locations of their libraries, these are indicated in the thumbnail images to the left noting the library region within Virginia, also available via the VLA website here.

It is our hope that this collection serves as a valuable resource for researchers, educators, policymakers, and the public, fostering a deeper understanding of the impact of censorship and honoring the dedication of those who defend the right to read.

Copyright

This material is protected by copyright, and copyright is held by VCU. You are permitted to use this material in any way that is permitted by copyright. In addition, this material is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 ). Acknowledgement of Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries as a source is required.

Credits

The oral histories were recorded by VCU’s Online Learning Librarian Hope Kelly and VLA Intellectual Freedom Committee member Easter DiGangi. Audio files, transcripts, and collection description were prepared by Hope Kelly, and Irina Rogova created metadata for the collection.

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Lisa Varga interview (2023-03-07)

At the time of this interview, Lisa Varga was the Executive Director of the Virginia Library Association. In this interview, Varga discusses her experiences with advocating for the freedom to read with specific examples from Virginia Beach and describes legislative action in the state. She highlights that many librarians are unable to speak out in these situations and the importance of associations in providing support to individuals and communities.
Judith Deichman interview (2023-03-19)

At the time of this interview, Judy Deichman was the immediate past president of the Virginia Association of School Librarians. Deichman’s interview highlights a professional disposition affirming parents’ rights to select the reading materials for their own children but not for the entire community. This interview also highlights how school librarianship became less desirable as a result of the climate created by censorship tactics.
Riva Green [pseudonym] interview (2024-10-11)

In this interview, a library board member details efforts in a Virginia county and the dynamics that played out amongst the community, the library board and the county board of supervisors when a group linked to religious communities formed that sought to control local library collections.
Seni Brinton interview (2024-10-16)

In this interview, a student advocate that relocated between regions 3 and 6 describes her evolving understanding and experiences with the freedom to read. It may be noted that some of what is described may arguably not be considered censorship, however it vividly illustrates the constraints imposed in accessing a variety of information sources that meet the needs of an individual.
Dori Broomell interview (2024-10-16)

In this interview, a former school librarian in region 4 describes her experiences in a high school library where tactics went from requests for removal of books to personal attacks in public meetings and while engaging in typical errands.
Jennifer Blum [pseudonym] interview, (2024-10-16)

In this interview, a public librarian describes how library administrators effectively censor cultural displays due to the ongoing challenges with a particular focus on excluding the LGBTQ materials.
Kelsey Lawrence interview (2024-10-17)

In this interview, a resident of a community in Region 6 describes how efforts to ban materials spurred her to become a library advocate and the organizational tactics she found useful.
Naomi Rojas [pseudonym] interview (2024-10-17)

In this interview, a public librarian in region 3 describes tactics used to remove books in her library and how she perceives the negative impact on collaborations between school and public libraries due to censorship efforts.