Rocky Mountain PBS: In a season of nationwide book censorship, Colorado led the trend. The state ranked among the top 17 in the nation for having more than 100 titles targeted for bans at public libraries across the Front Range, according to American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom’s 2023 report.

The bans hit close to home for librarian James LaRue, who served as the director of the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom but had previously spent 24 years as the Douglas County Public Library District’s director. 

LaRue documents his experiences with challenges to library materials and how book bans have accelerated and become politicized in his book, “On Censorship: A Public Librarian Examines Cancel Culture in the US” from Fulcrum Publishing.

Rocky Mountain PBS recently spoke with LaRue about his work and how free speech advocates can counteract censorship.

Visit Rocky Mountain PBS for more.