[CASL-L] This Week in CT Libraries: 1.27.25

[Ellen Paul]

Good Morning CT Libraries, here is what is going on this week.

CLC HAPPENINGS

Office administrator's roundtable<https://www.ctlibrarians.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1893389&group=> meets on Thursday.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

TLDR:  There are way more library bills at the State Capitol than (potentially?) ever before.  It's going to be very difficult to follow the bouncing ball.  I will do my best to keep you up to date each week.  If things seem confusing, it's because they are.

eBooks

  *   No updates.  We still have SB 237<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=237> and we're still expecting two more bills to be released, one in the Planning and Development Committee and another in the Government Administration and Elections Committee.
Budget

  *   Representative Welander (Derby, Hamden, Woodbridge, Orange) has introduced HB 5866:  AN ACT EVALUATING FUNDING FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES.<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=5866>  It's goal is to: study and identify funding gaps for public libraries and options for efficiency and sustainability.  More information to come.
  *   Ledyard is looking for some bond money to expand Bill Library<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=937>.

Freedom to Read

  *   Senators Duff and Maher introduced a bill they're calling:  Don't Ban Library Books<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=523>.  They held a press conference last week that got a ton of press.  See 'news of note.'  This is a bill to bookmark and watch.  Senator Duff is the Senate Majority Leader.  What he wants, he tends to get.
  *   Six additional bills were introduced last week.  Some of them I would call "pro-library" some of them I wouldn't.  Some of the pro-library bills will likely be consolidated into one later in the session.  Still, it makes a lot of bills to watch.
     *   HB 5508<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=5508>: AN ACT CONCERNING A FREEDOM TO READ.
     *   HB 5858<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=5858> AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SCHOOL LIBRARIES TASK FORCE.
     *   HB 5862<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=5862> AN ACT CONCERNING PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
     *   HB 5865<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=5865> AN ACT CONCERNING SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CHILDREN.
     *   HB 5867<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=5867> AN ACT CONCERNING PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
     *   HB 5898<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=5898> AN ACT PROHIBITING THE AVAILABILITY OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL IN PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

Misc.

  *   HB 6525<https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=6525>:  AN ACT DISSOLVING THE LAURA ANDREWS FREE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.  Purpose:  To dissolve the Laura Andrews Free Library Association and distribute the funds of said association to the Town of Thomaston.

NEWS OF NOTE

Many articles and news clips about the "Don't Ban Library Books Bill" press conference held by Senators Maher and Duff last week.  Here from the Hartford Courant<https://www.courant.com/2025/01/23/ct-democrats-introduce-dont-ban-library-books-act-amid-death-threats/>.  Here from Fox61<https://www.fox61.com/article/news/local/bill-librarians-prevent-book-bans-misinformation-controversy-legislation-lawmakers-connecticut/520-00207a0a-d188-4b28-bc4c-f0a2b72ac55e>.  Here from CT Public Radio<https://www.nhpr.org/2025-01-23/ct-bill-would-defend-libraries-librarians-from-book-bans-and-challenges>.  Here from Hearst Media<https://www.registercitizen.com/politics/article/ct-lawmaker-bob-duff-phone-threat-book-library-20051605.php>.  Here from CT News Junkie<https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2025/01/23/connecticut-democrats-introduce-dont-ban-library-books-act/>.  Here from WTNH<https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/legislators-propose-don-t-ban-library-books-act/ar-AA1xKUcu>.  Here from WFSB<https://www.wfsb.com/2025/01/23/ct-lawmakers-harassed-over-proposal-prevent-book-bans/>.  Here from NBC Connecticut<https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/stopping-book-bans-focus-new-bill-state-capitol/3478684/>.

A beautiful op-ed in the CT Mirror this morning:  The Library, My Second Home<https://ctmirror.org/2025/01/27/the-library-my-second-home/>.

Proposals on gender identity, parental rights enter CT schools debate<https://www.ctpost.com/news/education/article/ct-culture-war-bills-book-bans-parental-rights-20034449.php>.

And, because this story never gets old:  Greenwich Library has a book returned 56 years late. <https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/weddings/watch-hemingway-book-returned-to-connecticut-library-after-56-years/ar-AA1xOlMq>  And here<https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/fairfield/greenwich-public-library-gets-book-back-56-years-after-it-was-due/>.

Brrrr... no heat at the Wilton Library<https://www.thehour.com/news/article/wilton-library-closed-no-heat-repairs-cold-20046687.php>.

And a burst pipe in Westport<https://patch.com/connecticut/westport/busted-water-pipe-leads-temporary-closure-westport-library>!

"End of an Era"  Old Southington Library is demolished. <https://patch.com/connecticut/southington/old-southington-library-turning-rubble>

A CT woman moved to a new town and needed a tribe:  here's how she found one. <https://www.courant.com/2025/01/22/a-ct-woman-moved-to-a-new-town-and-needed-a-tribe-heres-how-she-found-one/?clearUserState=true>

The Hartford Courant profiles New Britain Library Technician about rising rent costs.  <https://www.courant.com/2025/01/27/a-ct-man-moved-in-with-mom-when-his-rent-spiked-affordable-not-what-people-can-afford-city-leader/>

Hagaman gets a defibrillator.<https://patch.com/connecticut/easthaven/fire-dept-delivers-latest-defibrillator-one-hagaman-library>

Drop me a line if you or your library is in the news and I've missed it!

Have a good week,
Ellen


---
Ellen Paul | Executive Director
Connecticut Library Consortium

860-344-8777 | www.ctlibrarians.org<http://www.ctlibrarians.org/>

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