Attempt to ban book at SLO County school library denied by board; The Tribune, June 13, 2026

 Sadie Dittenber, The Tribune ; Attempt to ban book at SLO County school library denied by board

"The Lucia Mar school board rejected an effort to ban a prize-winning author’s book from the Arroyo Grande High School library at a meeting on Thursday.

The novel “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison will remain in the Arroyo Grande High School library — despite an effort to have it removed from the shelves due to sexual content and other concerns...

Arroyo Grande English teacher Nicholas Kennedy wore a T-shirt that read “Probably reading Toni Morrison” to the meeting. He reminded board members that the book in question is not required reading, and that students — and their parents — can choose whether or not they read it...

Pham took issue with some of the syntax used in the novel, which she described as growing progressively worse throughout the book — but her comment drew sharp disagreement from board president Stewart. 

“Well, we can’t be afraid of different cultures’ patois, and they way they speak, right?” Stewart responded. “That’s racism.”"

DCPL to rework its policy for naming spaces after donors; NPR, February 11, 2022

Martin Austermuhle, NPR ; DCPL to rework its policy for naming spaces after donors

"The director of the D.C. Public Library told the D.C. Council on Wednesday that he plans to rework the policy that allows DCPL to unilaterally name interior places and spaces after donors. DCPL Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan also apologized for a recent dustup over his recommendation to name an auditorium in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library after Amazon founder Jeff Bezos...

In 2019, the board approved a "Naming Policy for D.C. Public Library Spaces and Programs" that spells out when interior and exterior spaces of libraries can be named after specific people, notably staff members or distinguished people who offered "extraordinary service" to the library system, or donors "who have made a significant financial contribution to the library." The policy does call for a "due diligence review" of any proposed renaming, including "whether the name is and will continue to be a positive reflection on the library.""

After backlash, Jeff Bezos suggests naming library auditorium for Toni Morrison; NPR, February 7, 2022

MARTIN AUSTERMUHLE, NPR ; After backlash, Jeff Bezos suggests naming library auditorium for Toni Morrison

"Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has asked the D.C. Public Library to name an auditorium in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library after famed late Black author Toni Morrison, instead of after him.

The request — first reported by The Washington Post — is an apparent response to growing criticism over last week's decision by library trustees to name it after Bezos in recognition of a $2.7 million donation he made to a childhood literacy program."