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I won’t be at the ALA Annual Conference this year, but that didn’t stop me from getting excited when I saw the lineup of documentary films being screened. There are four documentaries featured at the conference, and honestly, they all sound incredible. If you care about libraries, book access, or the fight for truth and representation, these are going to be must-watch titles.
The one I’m most eager to see is called Are You a Librarian? It focuses on Black librarians who preserved Black history and culture, often while navigating systemic racism and segregation in the profession and beyond. I got chills just reading the description. This is the kind of history that often gets left out of mainstream conversations, and I’m so glad someone is finally telling these stories on screen. I truly hope it gets picked up for streaming or public screenings soon because I need to see it.
A powerful documentary that shines a light on Black librarians who challenged injustice to preserve and protect Black history. It highlights voices and stories that have been overlooked for far too long.
Directed by Kim A. Snyder, this film follows librarians working on the front lines of the fight for democracy and truth. It’s produced in partnership with PBS’s Independent Lens and has Sarah Jessica Parker and Hallee Adelman as executive producers.
This one follows three high school students working to bring banned books back to their school libraries. It’s being shown by Unite Against Book Bans and includes an organizing session after the screening, which sounds super energizing.
A short documentary about a small-town library that was founded in 1928, destroyed by fire in 2020, and rebuilt by the community. It looks like a beautiful story of resilience and the deep connections people have to their local libraries.
Even though I won’t be there to see them debut, I’m bookmarking all of these for future watching. I love that ALA is making space for stories like these—stories about resilience, resistance, and the real impact libraries and librarians have.
If you hear about any of these becoming available online or in theaters, definitely let me know. I’ll be first in line (well… on my couch, with snacks, and probably a blanket).
The Book Review Template is perfect for taking quick notes on how you feel about the characters, theme, plot, or whatever seems important to you. Additionally, there are helpful phrases and descriptors to help write your review.
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