PBS to Air Documentary 'The Librarians' Amid Book Banning Backlash

The film examines the coordinated effort by conservative groups to ban books in public schools and libraries nationwide.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 7:07pm

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The documentary film 'The Librarians,' directed by Kim A. Snyder and executive produced by Sarah Jessica Parker, is set to premiere on PBS's 'Independent Lens' series on February 9th. The film explores the growing movement by conservative groups to ban a wide range of books, particularly those with anti-racist or LGBTQ themes, from public schools and libraries across the country. The film features interviews with librarians who have faced abuse and even death threats for defending the right of children to access reading material.

Why it matters

The airing of 'The Librarians' on PBS comes amid a significant political backlash against book banning efforts, with some recent election results suggesting voters are rejecting candidates who support these censorship campaigns. The film's release also highlights the broader debate over intellectual freedom, parental rights, and the role of public institutions in providing access to information.

The details

The Librarians examines how conservative groups like Moms for Liberty have led coordinated efforts to ban books in public schools and libraries, often accusing librarians of 'grooming' children. The film features interviews with librarians like Amanda Jones and Becky Calzada, who describe the 'hate level and vitriol' they have faced for defending access to books. The filmmakers have also held screenings of the documentary in areas where book banning has been a political issue, potentially influencing recent election results that saw moderates defeat conservatives who supported censorship.

  • The Librarians will premiere on PBS's 'Independent Lens' on February 9, 2026.
  • In December 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal on a Texas free speech case that allowed local officials to remove books deemed objectionable from public libraries.
  • In 2024, librarian Amanda Jones told the New York Times, 'What we're seeing now is full-scale attacks on people's characters if they stand up for books. The hate level and the vitriol is unreal to me.'

The players

Kim A. Snyder

The director of the documentary film 'The Librarians'.

Sarah Jessica Parker

The executive producer of 'The Librarians'.

Amanda Jones

A librarian who appears in 'The Librarians' and has faced death threats for defending access to books.

Becky Calzada

A librarian who appears in 'The Librarians' and discusses the current state of book banning efforts.

Leigh Wambsganss

A Republican candidate in a Texas state senate special election who is featured in 'The Librarians' for leading an effort by conservatives to take over school boards and impose book bans.

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What they’re saying

“What we're seeing now is full-scale attacks on people's characters if they stand up for books. The hate level and the vitriol is unreal to me.”

— Amanda Jones, Librarian (New York Times)

“The current state of book banning... initially it started in Texas and has spread out through Louisiana, Florida, now even in Utah where we're seeing even the state telling students that they can't even bring a book that they personally own to school, that if it's banned in their schools.”

— Becky Calzada, Librarian (Deadline)

“I sometimes feel as if it's fear of children having information that might be counter to a home's ideology, religion, political point of view. And when young people have information, they might ask questions and that might be counter and it might feel as if there is conflict when in fact it's really just healthy curiosity about subjects, people, religions, culture that is unfamiliar.”

— Sarah Jessica Parker (Deadline)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Leigh Wambsganss, the Republican candidate featured in the film, out on bail.

The takeaway

The airing of 'The Librarians' on PBS underscores the growing political backlash against book banning efforts, which have been driven by conservative groups seeking to limit access to information and ideas that challenge their ideological views. The film's release highlights the critical role that public institutions like libraries play in providing intellectual freedom and fostering healthy curiosity in young people.