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CHICAGO – Acting upon a resolution submitted by the Louisiana Association of School Librarians (LASL) the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) formally commends . The coalition is one of twenty outstanding programs, events, and products recognized in 2023 for their support of the school librarian profession and the learners the profession serves.

Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship is an all-volunteer, grassroots organization dedicated to fighting attempts to ban or restrict books. The organization is recognized for helping defend the intellectual freedom of all Louisiana students by curating resources to educate and empower the public to fight censorship.

“Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship works tirelessly to organize grassroots efforts across the state to keep the residents of Louisiana informed about the rights of libraries, library patrons, and librarians in both school and public libraries across the state," said LASL Past President Amanda Jones. “LASL is lucky to have such an organization of Louisiana residents in the fight against the anti-censorship movement across our state and we are incredibly grateful for their assistance in fighting anti-library legislation and providing censorship toolkits.”

AASL President Courtney Pentland added, “The commendations brought forth by AASL Chapters this year are representative of the amazing programs and advocacy efforts happening across the country in support of school libraries, school librarians, and the learners we all serve. I am grateful for organizations like those honored this year that also support literacy and intellectual freedom as these are essential skills and rights for everyone in our communities. We are definitely stronger together, and, through valuable partnerships like these, we can continue to help our learners build a foundation for a better tomorrow.”

All AASL Chapters are eligible to nominate outstanding programs, events, and products for national recognition. To be commended, nominees must align with the principles expressed in the AASL's mission and value statements. The full list of 2023 commendations can be found on the.

The American Association of School Librarians, , a division of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.