The Librarians – Librarians unite to combat book banning, defending intellectual freedom on democracy’s frontlines amid unprecedented censorship in Texas, Florida, and beyond. Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQia+ stories – triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of extremism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work – the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.
Preceded by the short films West Landing & Guiding Light
West Landing is a short documentary about a group of open-water swimmers on Long Island who gather every summer morning in Hampton Bays. Born out of the post-pandemic era, their daily swims provide a sense of calm and a newfound community, proving that it’s never too late to find friendship, purpose, and joy in life’s simple pleasures.
In “Guiding Light“, the lead prosecutor, the defense attorney and the police chief tell the story of a young teen (Polly Hannah Klaas) in a small town in America (Petaluma, California) who was kidnapped from her bedroom during a slumber party while her family was asleep in the house. In this film, India Mitchell, a teen growing up in the same town thirty years later weaves together past and present as she looks back on the Polly Klaas tragedy that rocked the nation, and the legacy of striving to keep children safe.
Q&A following the screening!
Live music with Mike McCall after the Q&A, stick around to enjoy!
Kim A. Snyder, Director, is an award-winning director and producer known for her powerful social issue documentaries, including the Peabody Award-winning Newtown. Her latest work continues her focus on grassroots advocacy and resilience in the face of national crises.
Mary Abler, Moderator, is the Deputy Director for San Mateo County Libraries, overseeing public services across all 13 locations. She brings more than 20 years of experience in public libraries, having held roles in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Vancouver, WA, beginning her career in advocacy and fundraising with the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library. While in Vancouver, she helped guide the library through an intense, years-long public debate over inclusive programming following Drag Queen Story Hours in 2019. Throughout that period, she navigated community challenges—including calls for book-review panels and program bans, while upholding the core values of access, inclusion, and public service.
Toni Mirosevich is an acclaimed writer who grew up in a Croatian-American fishing family in Everett, Washington. She is the author of numerous books across genres, including Pink Harvest, a Lambda Literary Award finalist, and The Rooms We Make Our Own. Her work has been widely anthologized in collections such as Best American Travel Writing and Best Women’s Travel Writing, and she is an alumna of prestigious writing residencies including MacDowell and Hedgebrook. Mirosevich taught creative writing at San Francisco State University for over three decades and is now professor emeritus, living in California with her wife.
Carine Risley is a Deputy Director with San Mateo County Libraries, where she oversees collections, programs, outreach, literacy, and partnerships. She loves going to film festivals and independent movie theaters for screenings. Once upon a time her friends would even sneak her into their film studies classes. Ensuring free and open access to the world of ideas gives her deep purpose.
