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Arkansas Act 372 aims to punish booksellers and librarians for doing what they’re supposed to do

Image: Flag of the state of Arkansas Text: Librarians and booksellers will be arrested for doing their jobs in Arkansas. Image: “Greetings from Arkansas” postcard Text: Several years and several states in, laws targeting library collections and library workers continue to increase. Now, thanks to a federal court, a draconian censorship law in Arkansas has the thumbs up to proceed. The law criminalizes librarians and booksellers for providing materials to their communities, resulting not only in a widespread chilling effect in Arkansas public libraries but also in the prosecution of librarians for doing their jobs. — Kelly Jensen Image: Arkansas state capitol and flag Text: Arkansas Act 372 amends state laws by including librarians and booksellers among those who can be criminally charged for distributing or providing materials deemed "harmful to minors." The law allows anyone to challenge the "appropriateness" of materials, yet fails to define what constitutes "obscene" or "inappropriate." "Anyone" here is also not limited to Arkansas residents; anyone who lives anywhere can lodge complaints about materials they believe are "harmful to minors." Challenged materials would face a public hearing to determine whether they can remain on shelves or must be removed. — Kelly Jensen Image: Map of Arkansas Text: Librarians and booksellers could face up to a year in prison if they're found to have "distributed" inappropriate material to those under the age of 18. The law, which doesn't bother defining what constitutes inappropriate, does go to painstaking lengths in defining what is meant by "distributed." This includes simply having the book sitting on a shelf. Book displays, book recommendations, and other means of highlighting materials would be folded into the definition of "distributed." - Kelly Jensen Image: Map of Akansas Text: Whether or not you're in Arkansas, this will impact you, even if you live in a "good" "blue" state. We've already seen what book censorship laws in Texas have done to the publishing industry, and we'll certainly see where and how other means of educational control will impact young people over the next few years. With librarians and booksellers now criminally liable for providing access to age-appropriate material that those with perceived power read with ill intent, we'll see a chilling effect further permeate these institutions nationwide. — Kelly Jensen To learn more about Arkansas Act 372, please visit BookRiot.com to read this full article.Want to know more? Visit BookRiot.com.