New Zwicker Bill Seeks To Protect NJ Libraries, School From Book Bans

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — South Brunswick resident and Senator from NJ-16, Andrew Zwicker, introduced legislation that seeks to protect public libraries and schools from book bans.

The legislation was introduced along with Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz.

The bill, S-3907, would authorize the State Librarian to direct State Treasury officials to withhold funding from any public school or library that fails to comply, and would deter school boards from banning or restricting access to books or other resource materials in their libraries.

The bill aims to prevent censorship of any book for “partisan or doctrinal” reasons and would require the libraries to adopt the American Library Association’s (ALA) “library bill of rights,” or a similar policy.

The ALA describes the Bill of Rights as “unambiguous statements of basic principles that should govern the service of all libraries,” and states that all libraries should be respected as “forums for information and ideas,” and that libraries “should challenge” censorship.

“This is about preventing censorship and keeping intolerance and hatred from being infused into public libraries in New Jersey,” Zwicker said in a statement.

“The fact that we are in 2023 and debating whether or not we should be banning books and ideas is just outrageous. Ideas and information are meant to be discussed and debated in a society that respects the right of free expression and values the pursuit of knowledge.”

Ruiz said that libraries are a "sacred community resource” and not a place for “careless censorship,” based on partisan views or revisionist history.

“Libraries often provide the foundation for children’s education and become incubators of ideas,” Ruiz said.

“We must protect these critical institutions which continue to be instrumental in shaping young minds.”

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