*THE* exact words I couldn't find or even think to find.

Puff the Magic Hater@mskellymhayes.bsky.social · 24h ago

I used to retell my stories from that day. I have them, of course. Everyone does. But as someone who didn’t lose anyone, or wade through the smoke, I’m particularly concerned, in this historical moment, about avoiding any sense of nostalgia about victimhood in the heart of empire.

Thinking a lot these days about how the administration's war on almost everyone is going to affect young people. We have a ton of evidence that bilingual education is really beneficial for people's brains, their ability to move through the world, and their communities.

English-only proposal for Head Start would set kids back, say parents and program leaders

The Trump administration’s proposal would end long-standing practice of promoting bilingualism

hechingerreport.org

To round out the week: Becky Explaining RA on the @railslibraries.bsky.social Can't Shelve This Podcast-- raforall.blogspot.com/2026/09/beck...

A reminder that an extremely cool and helpful thing you can is rating (and reviewing, if you have time), my book. Amazon rankings, and the number of ratings, unfortunately matter a lot! You do not have to buy my book from Amazon to rate it! If you love ALL MY DEAD CATS, help other people find it!

"73% of US public libraries rely on the E-Rate program to pay their internet bill or to keep their networks updated." stateline.org/2026/09/10/s...

Schools, libraries sound alarm over potential changes to federal internet program • Stateline

A multi-billion-dollar federal program that helps schools and libraries afford broadband internet is under review by the Trump administration, leaving education officials and advocates worried about p...

stateline.org

Illinois Families for Public Schools@ilfps.bsky.social · 17h ago

Sign on to Public School Strong's comment to the FCC about chopping eRate funds to schools & libraries: "Concerns about student screen time should not be used as an excuse to undermine basic school infrastructure..." actionnetwork.org/forms/protec...

Some good (though cautiously so) news from my previous state of residence

Poll Tracker 📊@polltracker.bsky.social · 17h ago

Iowa Statewide poll (YouGov) Senate 🔵 Josh Turek: 47% 🔴 Ashley Hinson: 43% Governor 🔵Rob Sand: 51% 🔴Zach Lahn: 41% 9/3-9/8 d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/io...

Today's Literary Activism may be the most popular one I've written over the last 5+ years. It's sure nice celebrating some wins. I hope folks know that it's a story about tremendous losses, too.

So you're going to expand upon how this is also related to generations of voter suppression, disenfranchisement & gerrymandering by republicans, & that people who live in the states you're insinuating deserve it are not, in fact, the enemy but need even more of our time, effort, & capacity, right?

BluesterB@bluesterb.bsky.social · 20h ago

This week's news, if you missed it! I've just scheduled the first full episode for next week, as well as the second full episode for the 22nd. I cannot wait to share these, as well as the rest of season one.

kelly jensen@heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 2d ago

I've launched a new limited-run podcast called Liberating Lit that features interviews with literary advocates about the work they do, why they do it, how they got into it, and what keeps them going. buttondown.com/wellsourced/...

Librarians Suing Over Wrongful Termination for Defending Books Are Winning. A look at the librarians who've settled lawsuits for defending the right to read and where that stands in contrast to lawsuits about the right to read more broadly. bookriot.com/librarians-s...

Librarians Suing Over Wrongful Termination for Defending Books Are Winning: Book Censorship News, September 11, 2026

Librarians who've been fired for not banning books and sued are winning settlements in their cases.

bookriot.com

Just watched a dozen unmarked vehicles, three local cop cars, and two armored vehicles clog up traffic in my town's traffic circle. I got home to learn that ICE is raiding down. Fuck your fucking patriotism bullshit today. This doesn't make us safer.

Librarians Suing Over Wrongful Termination for Defending Books Are Winning. A look at the librarians who've settled lawsuits for defending the right to read and where that stands in contrast to lawsuits about the right to read more broadly. bookriot.com/librarians-s...

Librarians Suing Over Wrongful Termination for Defending Books Are Winning: Book Censorship News, September 11, 2026

Librarians who've been fired for not banning books and sued are winning settlements in their cases.

bookriot.com

Three Florida school districts banned my book HERE WE ARE: FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD this last school year. www.fldoe.org/file/5574/25...

We have new merch in our Friends of the Woodstock Public Library store, and they're good. I *love* la loteria and the rosemary one especially–and yes, you can still get the horrors persist :) www.bonfire.com/store/friend...

Friends of the Woodstock Public Library | Official Merchandise | Bonfire

The Friends of the Woodstock Public Library supports the library through fundraising and outreach.

bonfire.com

kelly jensen@heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 6mo ago

New Friends of the Library merch dropped and it's good. Here's one of the new shirts: www.bonfire.com/the-horrors-...

any news non-profits want to buy it please. Toledo should have a newspaper

Block Communications is pulling the same trick with the Toledo Blade (the only newspaper it has left) that they did with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, announcing the newspaper will cease publication in the middle of union negotiations, per the Blade's workers. www.facebook.com/share/188khB...

I posted it last night but my hometown (Toledo, OH) newspaper is shuttering (in the midst of union contract negotiations)

Florida isn't the only state with defunding libraries–err, tax cuts–on the ballot, either. bookriot.com/state-proper...

State Property Tax Cuts Will Decimate Libraries: Book Censorship News, July 31, 2026

Up to 13 different US states are considering tax reforms that would decimate local public goods, including public libraries.

bookriot.com

EveryLibrary@everylibrary.bsky.social · 2d ago

Get the Facts about Florida's Amendment 3. Library funding cuts are not just accounting problems. They become service cuts that people feel. buff.ly/3yWYMnX

Young people in rural areas are politically engaged!

For These Rural Teens, Organizing Is Their Extracurricular

These high school students confront isolation and disconnection in rural Maine by organizing their peers to change policy.

barnraisingmedia.com

These layoffs at McClatchy newsrooms are devastating: 30 at the Miami Herald, 12 at the Lexington-Herald Leader, 7 at the KC Star. And who knows how many more. Across this country, the powerful are getting exactly what they want — fewer watchdogs and less accountability.

The Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild is shocked and disappointed by McClatchy’s decision to lay off 33% of its unionized workers at the Idaho Statesman, The News Tribune (Tacoma), Tri-City Herald, The Olympian and Bellingham Herald. This includes 10 journalists in Idaho, and seven across Washington

Most of the local government/watchdog reporters? You know why.

Joel Mathis@joelderburner.bsky.social · 2d ago

My lament for the Kansas City Star, Miami Herald, Lexington Herald-Leader and other papers gutted by #McClatchy today: joelmmathis.substack.com/p/the-end-of...

"McClatchy News took a machete to newsrooms they own today." At the @miamiherald.com, that machete resulted in the loss of 30 reporters.

Miami Herald Sees 30 Reporters Cut by McClatchy News, Lexington KY Herald-Leader Loses 12 as AI Threatens to Take Over Newsrooms - Showbiz411

McClatchy News took a machete to newsrooms they own today. According to posts on social media, the company fired 30 reporters at the Miami Herald

showbiz411.com

Y'all, the number of journalists across the country laid off today should be fucking headline news. Too bad there's no one out there to write it.

Gil Durán@gilduran.com · 2d ago

The gutting of local journalism continues. I started as an intern at the Lexington Herald-Leader, which laid off a majority of its reporters today. The McClatchy company was bought by a hedge fund that promised to be a good steward of journalism. And here we are... www.lpm.org/news/2026-09...

Journalists all across the PNW laid off by McClatchy today, a damn bloodbath. Some are people I’ve worked with, some are calling me crying because their mentors no longer have jobs. Journalism is so needed. Cutting investigative reporters, city reporters… Idaho & Washington will be worse off.

I’m hearing now that at least 7 investigation, sports, video and a few editors are also gone at The Bee.

Sunday would have been my 5 year anniversary at The Bee. Today I was informed I am part of the massive layoffs happening at McClatchy. I’m Sacramento born and raised, and it’s been an honor to serve my community. I don’t know what’s next, but I know I’ll be ok.

FEED by M.T. Anderson turns 25 next year, and it's getting an updated celebratory cover. Here's that, why the book is still relevant today, and the story behind the head! bookriot.com/feed-by-mt-a...

One of The Best YA Books of the Century Turns 25: On M.T. Anderson's FEED

M.T. Anderson's FEED, one of the best YA books of the century, turns 25 next year. It's getting a new cover, too.

bookriot.com

I feel so confident saying the native intelligence of this generation is not the problem. The looting & wholesale sabotage of their educational infrastructure is.

this kind of ahistorical take is frustrating in an era when the ideals of those things, made by a general populace with a desire to create something new by hand, has been stripped of the cultural value it once held by ever-compounding financial interests that demanded money from their stones.