On Wednesday February 8, 2023 the Board of the Glen Ridge Public Library voted unanimously to retain 6 titles in their collection that had been challenged by a local group called Citizens Defending Education. The challenge was initially addressed by Library Director, Tina Marie Doody. Ms. Doody deemed the materials in keeping with the library collection development policy and determined the materials would remain in the library collection. As was their right under the library’s policy, the group appealed the decision to the full Board, which voted to retain these materials.

NJLA is heartened by the strong community support in Glen Ridge, as evidenced by the large turnout of residents who want their library collection to be open and representative of all aspects of the community. We were also proud to see so many NJ librarians and NJLA members travel to Glen Ridge to show support for the bedrock principle that libraries and their collections are for all and that libraries must uphold the freedom to read. This is not the first, and will certainly not be the last, challenge to library materials in NJ. We stand with our library community and vow to continue to vigorously defend the right to read.