A Small-Town Texas Librarian’s Big Stand Against Book Bans
Suzette Baker, from unincorporated Kingsland, was feted recently by the Authors Guild in New York City as a “Champion of Writers”—the first-ever recipient of a national award established to honor librarians who fight book bans.
In 2022, she was fired from her job as a Llano County librarian after resisting orders to ban books and protesting against censorship. In response to Baker’s story, a local mom named Leila Leah Green and other library patrons filed a federal lawsuit, supported by the Author’s Guild. In 2023, they won a court order that forced county officials to restore eight of the 17 titles that had been removed from library shelves.
“Baker’s brave defense of her community’s right to read is a testament to the vital role librarians play in upholding free speech and creative expression in the face of censorship,” said Mary Rasenberger, CEO of the Authors Guild, the nation’s oldest and largest writers organization.
Baker continues to fight for freedom of expression and is pursuing her own wrongful termination lawsuit against the Llano County officials. Still, in some ways, Baker, a mother of five and grandmother of two, would rather still be working in the Kingsland Branch Library, assembling quirky displays, recommending books, and helping adults and kids access the internet. Being a small-town librarian was her dream job. The Observer spoke to her about books and censorship.
To read the article in its entirety visit: A Small-Town Texas Librarian’s Big Stand Against Book Bans – The American Prospect