The Librarians Airs on PBS Starting Feb 9th. You Should Watch!

What this film gets right about censorship and the people living it

The Ai School Librarian Feb 6

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Why The Librarians Matters to Me

A film about censorship, courage, and the people who refuse to walk away

On February 9, the documentary The Librarians airs on PBS as part of Independent Lens. It will also be available to stream for a limited time afterward on PBS.org and the PBS app. You will also briefly see me in the film, seated next to Martha Hickson as we testify in support of New Jersey’s Freedom to Read bill.

I want people to watch this film not simply because it documents the rise of book bans and censorship, but because the people in it are my friends, my mentors, and in many cases, the reason I am still here doing this work.

This documentary is not abstract to me. I cried while watching it. I cried because their stories are my story. I cried because I know the fear, the isolation, and the professional risk that comes with standing up for students and for the freedom to read. I also cried at the courage my friends show, again and again, even when the cost is high.

The librarians featured in this film are not symbols. They are real people who have endured harassment, retaliation, defamation, and loss for doing their jobs ethically.

Librarians Featured in This Film

The film features many librarians from across the country, along with community members, advocates, and leaders. The following librarians are among those whose stories are highlighted:

• Martha Hickson

• Amanda Jones

• Marie Masferrer

• Suzette Baker

• Julie Miller

• Nancy Jo Lambert

There are many others in the film whose courage and advocacy deserve recognition. This documentary is stronger because it reflects that collective effort, including the voices of parents, students, community members, and leaders who have shown up and spoken out.

Martha Hickson

Before I was fired, I already knew Martha Hickson’s story. I reached out to her for help and guidance while writing South Orange and Maplewood’s district policies related to censorship and book challenges. Her experience and deep understanding of how these attacks unfold shaped that work in lasting ways. The policy we wrote, informed by her knowledge, is now used as a model across New Jersey.

When I did lose my job, Martha was the first person I called. I was crying. I was overwhelmed. I was dealing with severe depression and anxiety triggered by my firing. Martha did not just listen. She helped me find a therapist and a doctor. She gave me the courage to speak publicly about what happened, not for attention, but so others would not feel as isolated as I did.

Seeing us together on screen, as we testified at a hearing in support of New Jersey’s Freedom to Read bill, was a reminder that this work is collective, and that the relationships built in this fight often begin long before crisis hits.

Amanda Jones

Amanda Jones has been a close friend, a mentor, and a constant source of strength. She knew my story before hers became public.

When she began experiencing harassment, threats, and defamation for doing her job, I was one of the people she leaned on. Later, as I faced my own experiences with defamation, she became one of my strongest sources of support.

She is one of the few people I know who truly understands what it is like to face not only censorship, but defamation and hatred from within your own community. Her guidance and support have meant more to me than I can adequately put into words.

Marie Masferrer

I came to know Marie Masferrer through a Writers Guild workshop for censored librarians, led by Amanda Jones and playwright Peter Parnell. That space was created for librarians whose voices had been challenged or silenced, and who were trying to find language for experiences that are often dismissed.

Through that work, Marie and I became friends. I have come to deeply admire her strength. What she has endured in Florida, and the resolve she shows every day as she continues to fight for what is right for students, is extraordinary. She knows the cost. She does the work anyway.

Suzette Baker

I do not know Suzette Baker as personally as some of the others in this film, but her story has stayed with me.

Watching what she has gone through and how she has continued to stand up for students despite sustained pressure is deeply moving. She represents the many librarians who quietly do this work, often without public support, and face real personal and professional consequences.

Julie Miller

I want to name Julie Miller for her bravery.

Julie has shown what it means to speak up when staying quiet would be easier and safer. She has faced pressure simply for doing her job with integrity and for centering students’ rights. Her courage looks like persistence. It looks like continuing to show up, even when the environment is hostile.

Nancy Jo Lambert

I have known Nancy Jo Lambert for many years, and I am aware of how intense the pressure on her has been.

She has faced sustained scrutiny and professional risk while continuing to advocate for students and for the core principles of librarianship. The work has required real personal sacrifice, and that should not be minimized. Her inclusion in this film reflects the long-term toll of censorship battles and the persistence required to keep doing this work.

For Educators and Librarians

If you are working in a school or library right now and feel pressure around books, curriculum, or speech, this film will feel uncomfortably familiar. You are not imagining it, and you are not alone. What is happening in libraries across the country deserves attention and response.

Why PBS Matters

That this film is airing on PBS matters. Public broadcasting has long played a critical role in making difficult, necessary stories accessible to everyone.

PBS has been a trusted source of education, journalism, and cultural storytelling for generations. At a time when public institutions are under increasing pressure, PBS deserves our support. Watching, sharing, and supporting your local PBS station helps ensure that stories like this continue to be told and remain accessible to all.

How to Watch and Share

The Librarians airs on PBS on February 9 and will be available to stream for a limited time afterward on PBS.org and the PBS app. Check your local listings and set a reminder. Consider watching with colleagues, administrators, or community members.

Why You Should Watch

The Librarians is not just about book bans. It is about what happens when educators are treated as threats for doing their jobs. It is about the cost of defending intellectual freedom. And it is about the people who continue to do that work anyway.

Watching this film is not the end of the work. It is a starting point.

These stories matter. These librarians matter. And so do the communities that stand with them.

© 2026 Elissa Malespina
South Orange NJ