Thu, Jan 22
|Palo Alto: Rinconada Library
Documentary: The Librarians
Witness the dramatic impact of the 2021 Texas book list as this powerful documentary reveals how legislative action and organized parental groups are systematically creating a nationwide chilling effect on access to literature in schools.
Time & Location
Jan 22, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Palo Alto: Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA
About the event
Join Palo Alto Library for a screening of The Librarians, which premiered at The Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Kim A Snyder, who is also a producer, and produced by Janique L Robillard and Maria Cuomo-Cole, this 83-minute documentary examines new strictures on school librarians. Book banning was nothing new to the world, but in October 2021, Texas State Representative Matt Krause issued a list of 850 books for schools to review for obscene and race-related content, urging officials to develop standards to ensure “pornography” and anything that may make students feel “discomfort, guilt or anguish” be removed. As the culture wars rage, parental rights groups dig in nationwide and pre-existing book review protocols are overturned by school boards across the country. A chilling effect sets in as book-banning crusaders become more coordinated and vulnerable librarians are targeted ferociously. View the trailer here.