CCBC’s Megan Schliesmann to Retire

The CCBC shared the following news. In a time of transitions, we congratulate Megan and thank her for leadership, mentorship and insightful work at the CCBC over the years! 

Megan Schliesman to Retire After 32 Years at the CCBC

Posted on March 17, 2025

At the end of the UW-Madison spring semester, Megan Schliesman will retire from her role as Assistant Director/Librarian at the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC). Megan began her career at the CCBC in July of 1993 following her 1992 graduation from the UW-Madison School of Library and Information Science (now the iSchool). In addition to her work managing many administrative aspects of the CCBC, Megan’s talents as a writer and keen reader solidified her capacity as an expert in literature for children and teens. Megan has co-authored CCBC Choices, the CCBC’s annual best-of-the-year list, since 1993.

Over the years, thousands of Wisconsin librarians and teachers have benefited from Megan’s insightful recommendations of new, high-quality, and diverse titles. A well-known and respected speaker, Megan has presented at countless Wisconsin conferences for professional organizations, such as the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association, the Wisconsin Library Association, and the Wisconsin State Reading Association. Webinars, radio shows, and in-person workshops are also venues where Megan’s book recommendations have been a valuable resource, in addition to innumerable tours and presentations given at the CCBC to preservice teachers and librarians and other UW students. 

Megan’s impact has been felt beyond the borders of Wisconsin. Nationally recognized as a speaker and leader, Megan has been actively involved with the American Library Association (ALA) and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) throughout her career. Megan served as the co-chair of the ALA/ALSC 2022 Morris Seminar, chaired the Children’s Literature Legacy Award Committee (née Wilder), served on the ALA/ALSC 2005 Newbery Award Committee, and more.

Megan Schliesman’s name is synonymous with the topic of intellectual freedom as it relates to the right to read in Wisconsin schools and libraries. Since 1978, the CCBC has provided free, confidential, and unbiased intellectual freedom information to librarians and teachers facing challenges to children’s and young adult materials around the state of Wisconsin. Megan has managed the CCBC’s Intellectual Freedom Information Service since 2002. She has been as much of a champion for strong policies and procedures as she has been a confidential consultant to professionals dealing with complicated book challenge situations. One of the most significant contributions Megan has made to the CCBC’s Intellectual Freedom Information Service is the development of the What IF… Forum. A place to ask questions before (or when) a challenge occurs, the online question-and-answer forum helps teachers, school and public librarians, and others in the library and education fields to think through what IF principles look like in practice. This free resource is emblematic of Megan’s creativity in responding to the needs of professionals in the field.

Megan’s retirement will leave a sizable hole in the heart of the CCBC staff, a small and highly collaborative unit. Megan’s talent with the written word, penchant for thoughtful documentation, sturdy leadership and reliability, research skills and resourcefulness, and passion for identifying and recommending the very best in books for children and teens will be deeply missed. In addition to being a brilliant librarian in service to the state of Wisconsin, she is a tremendous colleague and friend. 

The transformative power of a book in the hands of a young reader cannot be overstated, and in her decades at the CCBC, Megan has said that nothing brings her greater joy than to assist an adult with finding a book that they are excited to share with a student or child. 

To honor Megan’s career, please consider making a secure, tax-deductible donation to The Ginny Moore Kruse Intellectual Freedom Fund to help sustain the CCBC’s work in the area of Intellectual Freedom.

To share a personal note or offer best wishes, please contact CCBC Librarian Merri Lindgren at mlindgren@education.wisc.edu.

Book Resumes Also on TeachingBooks

Yesterday, we highlighted a helpful national resource on "book resumes" that are a great source of information when books are challenged. 

Coincidentally, yesterday the Badgerlink Bulletin published a post highlighting TeachingBook's "Book Resume" resource free to all WI libraries with Badgerlink subscriptions.

They write: "Support for your title selections can put a strain on already-limited time. New to BadgerLink resource TeachingBooks are Book Resumes—immediate, authoritative information about the children’s and young adult books in your collections. Now within seconds, library staff can produce and share a consistent, comprehensive report that includes full professional reviews, information about state and national award recognitions, reading levels, book samples, and so much more."

Check out the helpful blog post to get the scoop on how to access this home-grown resource.

Free Tool for Defending IF

As seen in the Wisconsin Valley Library Service March 2024 Newsletter

In a world where people’s right to read is often threatened, various groups including librarians, educators, parents, and community advocates play a vital role in ensuring that diverse and thought-provoking books remain accessible to everyone. 

To help in this effort, Unite Against Book Bans has teamed up with the publishing community to create a helpful resource called Book Résumés. Book Résumés share concise summaries of  books that includes an overview of the plot or subject matter, insights from professional journals and critics, recognitions the book has received, a review of how the book contributes to learning and understanding, and information on how the title has been successfully retained in schools and libraries despite challenges. 

"When faced with demands for censorship, having a well-prepared summary and evidence-based argument to share with book review committees, elected officials, board members and community members can make a significant difference,” said Kristie Hauer, WVLS Public Services Consultant. “Because they detail each title’s significance, educational value, and impact, Book Résumés serve as a powerful tool for librarians, educators, and all who champion the right to read.”

Kristie said book summaries are available in PDF format and easy to download, print and share. 

Unite Against Book Bans collaborates closely with several publishers to create accurate and inclusive summaries of books. The initiative has garnered support from multiple publishers who recognize the importance of preserving diversity in literature. On February 20, Unite Against Book Bans released hundreds of book summaries. 

More summaries will be released in time for National Library Week in April. There is a also a WVLS Digital Byte on this resource. 

WLA IF Introduces New IF Toolkit

On behalf of the WLA Intellectual Freedom Committee, I am  pleased to announce that the WLA Intellectual Freedom (IF) Toolkit is now available.  The IF Toolkit was developed by the WLA Intellectual Freedom Committee as a way for community members, librarians, and trustees to gain a deeper understanding of intellectual freedom as it relates to libraries in Wisconsin.  It is intended to provide resources to help libraries and their communities navigate these issues while protecting the rights of individual readers. The Intellectual Freedom Committee will continuously update the IF Toolkit and seek to include the most relevant and current intellectual freedom resources.

To access this resource from the WLA website, go to the Advocacy menu on the homepage and select "Intellectual Freedom Resources" from the dropdown menu.  
 
A special thank you to the IF Committee Toolkit subcommittee for their work on this resource: Karli Pederson, Hannah Good Zima, and Christinna Swearingen.

Questions about the toolkit? Please contact WLA IF Committee Chair Kristina Gómez at krgomez@milwaukee.gov.

Refreshed IF Resources Page Also Includes Survey Results
In addition to the IF Toolkit, the Intellectual Freedom Resources webpage has been refreshed to include other new content, including a link to the 2023 Intellectual Freedom Survey Report.

Visit the Intellectual Freedom Resources Page: Intellectual Freedom Resources (wisconsinlibraries.org)

Laura Sauser, Executive Director

Wisconsin Library Association

sauser@wisconsinlibraries.org      515-865-6264

Freedom to Read/Program Resources

As seen in the IFLS Keeping Up with Kids blog, December 6, 2023

• Thanks to Sam Carpenter at the Chippewa Falls Public Library for sharing this outstanding resource to help the public stand up for kids’ access to books:  The National Coalition Against Censorship’s Kids’ Right to Read Action Kit

• The Association for Library Service to Children (part of the American Library Association) has created a Toolkit for Program Challenges for library workers who are looking for help preparing for and responding to program challenges, including Before, During, and After sections.

New WLA IF Committee

As we know, many challenges and censorship attempts target children's and teen books. This makes it important for all youth librarians to learn all we can about intellectual freedom, advocacy, preparation for challenges and other intellectual freedom issues.

The Wisconsin Library Association now has two powerful groups to address these issues and assist WI library staff - the Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group (SIG) and the newly reformed Intellectual Freedom committee. 

Members of the Association which include YSS members (wait, you're not a member? Stop here and join WLA for the price of two weeks of lattes-to-go) are welcome to join these IF efforts.

At the July meeting of the WLA Board of Directors, the Board voted to approve the establishment of a standing Intellectual Freedom Committee, and appointed Kristina Gomez as committee chair.  Other members include Steven Rice, Julia Lee, Christinna Swearingen, Hannah Good Zima, Betsy Bleck, Nicole Breed, and Karli Pederson.     Purpose The Intellectual Freedom Committee is responsible for safeguarding and promoting intellectual freedom within the Wisconsin Library Association and the Wisconsin library community.   Activities Create and update a Wisconsin Intellectual Freedom toolkit. Develop intellectual freedom trainings and resources. Collect data via annual surveys. Create a system for collecting censorship challenges in Wisconsin. Maintain and analyze data. Explore the creation of a Library IF Staff Support Network. If feasible and relevant, develop and maintain the support network. Monitor information provided by the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom and distribute to WLA membership as needed. The Intellectual Committee is separate from the Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group (IF SIG).  The IF SIG will continue to host quarterly meetings and provide opportunities for education and the exchange of information in a more informal space.  --WLA Bulletin August 18, 2023

Resources for Fighting Book Banning

As seen in the August 2023 ALSC Newsletter:

In support of the right to free speech and against censorship and book bans, the Children’s Book Council has compiled relevant resources for librarians, teachers, and booksellers. The kit includes:

- Keep Bans off Our Books sticker
- #FREADOM coloring page to copy
- The Pride Love & Acceptance poster created by Chan Chau, in partnership with School Library Journal. (Originally made available in fall 2022.)
- A page about a book teaching kids about banned books, by Pat Scales with ALA
- A letter from Raj Halder and Sourcebooks about their upcoming title, This Book Is Banned

Complete this form to request a free copy of the free speech kit.

If you have any questions regarding this resource, please email the Children's Book Council.

[YSS blog editor: You can also access more toolkits and information at the American Library Association's Unite Against Book Bans webpage, a rich resource to help you.]

Navigating a Challenge - Drag Queen Storytime

The Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group of the Wisconsin Library Association sponsored a speaker at their online meeting on Monday July 24 featuring Amy Mitchell of the Beloit Public Library. She spoke about how their library navigated  pushback against one of their programs. The IF SIG is sharing the slide deck with all WLA members. (Consider joining this SIG!)

They write:

Thanks to everyone who attended Monday's Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting featuring Amy Mitchell from the Beloit Public Library.

 

As promised, here are the slides from Amy's presentation and the press release mentioned in the presentation.

• Presentation Slides
• Press Release

 

Mark your calendar for the next IF SIG meeting scheduled for Monday, September 25 at 11:00 a.m.  More details to follow soon!

 

Please reach out to IF SIG Co-Chairs Kristina Gómez and Steven Rice with any questions: intellectualfreedomsigwi@gmail.com

WiLSWorld Shorts - Book Challenges in Hindsight

 

Book Challenge Hindsight: What You Wish You’d Known

Join WiLS on Friday, March 24th at 1:00 pm CT, when they host the next WILSWorld Shorts with a panel of people involved with K12 and public libraries who have valuable experience and advice to share on handling book challenges. WiLS is honored to welcome these voices to the panel:

• Ashley Knapp, Library Media Instructional Technology Specialist at West De Pere High School
• Matt Mulder, current Oconomowoc Common Council member and former Oconomowoc Public Library Board of Trustees member
• Katelyn Sabelko, Library Services Manager at Marathon County Public Library

Given the record number of challenges happening in libraries, what questions do you have for the panelists? What might help you with a future or current challenge? Let WiLS know by anonymously submitting your question(s) in this document, and they'll get their panelists' responses to them during the event.
 

Register to attend WiLSWorld Shorts - Book Challenge Hindsight: What You Wish You’d Known.

Free ALSC Resources for Youth Librarians

ALA's  Association for Library Services to Children has so many great resources and toolkits available to help you do your job more effectively.

A recent ALSC blog post has a great listing that centers around doing year-round advocacy. 

Browse through the amazing resources here in this linky post. [Planning a Year of Advocacy: Month by Month. White, Kimberly.  ALSC blog. January 26, 2023.]

Marathon County Retains Challenged Books in Juvenile Collection

According to the Wausau Pilot and Review in a November 28, 2022 article, the Marathon County Board "voted unanimously to endorse recommendations of a book review committee that will keep two challenged books in its juvenile nonfiction section.

This is pretty big news. There was a concerted effort by both a number of citizens AND county supervisors to have the books removed.  There was real pressure on the library when some of those county board supervisors appeared to support a retaliatory budget cut to the library. 

The article is fascinating - and hopeful - from a number of key points:

• the library has a collection development policy that they used in defending the books
• the library had a clear policy on addressing challenges
• the book review committee used the ALA Library Bill of Rights to emphasize that "parents - and only parents- have the right and responsibility to restrict access of their children - and only their children- to library resources. as well as other ALA docs to bolster their case.
• the committee dis their homework, citing the presence of the challenged titles in other WI libraries.
• library card applications signed by the parent acknowledge the parent is responsible for determining what resources are appropriate for their child.
• the library's corporation counsel did an overview on legal definitions/statutes in WI and stated that the library board has control of all library material and these materials have statutory protection. 

It also underscores the real importance of elections and consequences when a community elects representatives who are willing to put their personal views ahead of representing all the people in the community.

We applaud Marathon Co Library and its board for the successful defense of intellectual freedom.

WLA Intellectual Freedom Survey for YOU!

The WLA Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group has put together a survey to get a better sense of the needs of the Wisconsin library community around the current climate in which libraries are facing increased challenges to and attacks on library materials and services.  

Please complete the anonymous survey (link below) by June 30.  Thank you!

 

https://forms.gle/jWiyyFW7PoEECAVy9

The Power of Many Voices

Pixabay Image

You may have noted on March 30  the decision by Follett Learning to develop technology to allow parents to monitor - and restrict - their child's reading. Book Riot wrote a strong informational piece about this effort on Friday April 1. [Technology for Parent Monitoring of Student Library Use is Being Developed by Follett: This Week's Censorship News, April 1, 2022. Danika Ellis. Book Riot. April 1, 2022.]

The response on the Twitterverse to this information from Follett was swift and impactful - spreading the word and prompting strong pushback from the library community, including boycotts of the company and cancellation of their library management products and systems. A petition was started and librarians in school and public libraries responded through that as well.

By the end of the day Friday April 1, Follett had walked back their planned module development according to a School Library Journal update published on April 2. [Follett Changes Course on Proposed Destiny Changes in Response to Library Outcry. Kara Yorio. School Library Journal. April 2, 2022].

It speaks to the power of many voices rising together to fight back efforts to censor speech and materials. It's a powerful example of how librarians together can effect change through advocacy.

Reminder: Navigating Pushback and Challenges Webinar - April 5

Just a quick reminder that this upcoming YSS/IF SIG hour-long webinar is coming up on Tuesday April 5 at 2:00pm. There is still time to register.

YSS and the newly revitalized WLA Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group (IF-SIG) are planning a helpful webinar free to WLA members on Tuesday April 5 from 2:00-3:00 pm. 

The cost for non-members is $25 (but it's easy to become a member and share in member benefits. Just stop here to become a WLA member!)

Registration for webinar is required. Register here.

Unofficial and official challenges have been on the rise all over the country, but there are a lot of steps that library staff can take to be prepared to respond to these concerns.  Join WLA on Tuesday, April 5, from 2-3pm for a look into how to navigate these often tricky and emotional situations. Megan Schliesman will kick the webinar off with an overview of what challenges are looking like and the services available from the CCBC to support library staff. Melissa Prentice from Mead Public Library will walk through a book challenge her library recently went through. WLA Executive Director will briefly address support that is available from the Library and Legislation Committee (LD&L). Finally, Kristina Gómez will cover how one library responded to pushback on a program, as well as an update on the work of the Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group.  Come ready to learn and ask questions!

Brought to you by the Youth Services Section and Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group of WLA.

WLA Webinar - Navigating Pushback and Challenges

YSS and the newly revitalized WLA Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group (IF-SIG) are planning a helpful webinar free to WLA members on Tuesday April 5 from 2:00-3:00 pm. 

The cost for non-members is $25 (but it's easy to become a member and share in member benefits. Just stop here to become a WLA member!)

Registration for webinar is required. Register here.

Unofficial and official challenges have been on the rise all over the country, but there are a lot of steps that library staff can take to be prepared to respond to these concerns.  Join WLA on Tuesday, April 5, from 2-3pm for a look into how to navigate these often tricky and emotional situations. Megan Schliesman will kick the webinar off with an overview of what challenges are looking like and the services available from the CCBC to support library staff. Melissa Prentice from Mead Public Library will walk through a book challenge her library recently went through. WLA Executive Director will briefly address support that is available from the Library and Legislation Committee (LD&L). Finally, Kristina Gómez will cover how one library responded to pushback on a program, as well as an update on the work of the Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group.  Come ready to learn and ask questions!

Brought to you by the Youth Services Section and Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group of WLA.

____________________________________________________

And be sure to join the 

Intellectual Freedom SIG Monthly Meeting

Monday, March 28, 11:00 a.m. 

 

At this month’s meeting we will explore ways to support Intellectual Freedom at the 2022 WLA Annual Conference (Nov 1-4, 2022 in Lake Geneva). With a theme of “Rising to the Challenge,” the annual conference gives an opportunity to support staff from around the state with in-depth workshops on a variety of topics. Help us craft an Intellectual Freedom track for this year’s conference! SIG  meeting attendees will have the option to join one of five breakout rooms to brainstorm possible conference workshops: Policy Development, Staff Training & Support, Trustee Relations, Media Relations / Shaping the Narrative, and  “None of those but I have a cool idea!”

 

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://zoom.us/j/92607836678?pwd=djZ1UzFtRTNRdTAzb1R1K3VFZDNYdz09

New CCBC "What IF...Forum" Questions Answered

The CCBC consistently updates their "What IF Forum" to reflect answers to questions that libraries are dealing with currently. The two newest topics are incredibly important right now:

Talking About Intellectual Freedom with Your Community

Concern Library Attempting to "Indoctrinate " Children.

Each answer essay is thoughtful, supportive, helpful and gives readers the information they need to navigate difficult situations.

Read the discussion on these and other pertinent topics that matter to you on the CCBC's webpage at the What IF..Forum.

Intellectual Freedom and You - News

• Upcoming WLA Intellectual Freedom Meeting

WLA's Intellectual Freedom SIG (Special Interest Group) is holding their second meeting Monday February 28 from 11 am- noon. 

Youth librarians are often on the front line of censorship attempts. As such, becoming involved in this WLA unit can help you take immediate action and help set the course of the SIG.  There is no registration needed to attend this meeting.

The weekly WLA Bulletin (2/4/22) posted: 

SAVE THE DATE!  INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP MEETING

Monday, Feb 28
11:00 A.M.  - Noon

No registration required.   Meeting link is below:
https://zoom.us/j/93914868388?pwd=ZzBlM1U1ZzEvRFp1dEorNjkrdkVzUT09

• Are You Receiving the ALA Intellectual Freedom Newsletter?

If you want to access up-to-date news on the IF front, you can subscribe to the ALA Intellectual Freedom News.  The newsletter includes a wide range of news on censorship attempts, first amendment issues, legislation updates, copyright and much more. To sign up to receive future issues of Intellectual Freedom News, click here.

• CCBC Resources on Intellectual Freedom to Assist You

And as a reminder, here are resources recently shared by Leah Langby at IFLS of helpful resources from the CCBC:

• The Cooperative Children’s Book Center, one of Wisconsin’s greatest treasures, has some excellent resources to help think about, prepare, and respond to concerns and challenges.’
• Intellectual Freedom Service for Wisconsin public and school libraries, provides confidential and professional assistance to librarians who are facing a challenge or concern about a book for children or teens.
• I love this poster:  Be Prepared:  What to Do Before, During, and After a Materials Challenge
• I also love this one:  Materials Concern Check-List:  Tips and Talking Points
• Steps to Take When Materials Are Challenged has a lot of great suggestions AND additional resources and places to turn for help
• The What IF Forum is a place where you can submit questions to the CCBC librarians and their partners and they’ll answer for the wider library community.  Here’s a recent example all about being prepared for a challenge.

(From "Getting Prepped for Challenges". Leah Langby. Keeping Up with Kids blog, November 19, 2021)  

• Finally, Megan Schliesman of the CCBC shared the following with the Friends of the CCBC:

Timely Intellectual Freedom Information

 

If you work in libraries or classrooms, or have been following the news, you know about the public attacks and challenges to books for children and teens happening across the country at an unprecedented level.  The CCBC continues to provide confidential information and referral to Wisconsin librarians and teachers through our intellectual freedom information services.  In addition, we’ve also been compiling resources from the American Library Association and others, including relevant questions and responses from our What IF: Questions and Answers on Intellectual Freedom forum.

 

One of our What IF questions and responses addresses what community members can do to be proactive and support diverse materials, librarians and educators, because challenges are local: Your voice matters in your community.

What is Up with Organized Censorship?

We all know that much of the action that happens in the censorship cases lands in youth departments and involve teen and children's books. We also know that censorship through organized groups has picked up considerably recently. In November, we ran a post with ways you can be prepared (including becoming familiar with the great resources of the CCBC) for this type of challenge.

Another great resource to stay updated and to learn more is through Kelly Jensen's weekly column at the Book Riot website. Kelly, a former teen librarian in WI, now writes and edits full time and has been keeping readers updated on the state of the increasing censorship. Each week she links her former columns in the "This Week in Censorship News" series and also provide links to helpful resources like this recent blog post with concrete ways we can all be advocates and fight back.

One of her recent columns does a deep dive on Moms for Liberty and is worth the read.

Intellectual Freedom and YOU

There has been an increase in organized attempts at removing books throughout the country. Kelly Jensen who blogs at Book Riot has been closely following the evolution of these efforts and this blog post is a call to action as well as one with links and resources to assist you. We also recently ran a blog post with some resources to assist you.

But you can also take a more active role within Wisconsin to provide leadership and expertise with other intellectual freedom advocates through WLA's Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group (SIG).  They are organizing a meet-up on January 24 and it would be great to have the voices of many youth librarians at the table. Here's the scoop:

The Wisconsin Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group (SIG) first meet-up of 2022 will be Monday, January 24th from 11-12pm.

We invite library workers & supporters who are committed and passionate about intellectual freedom to be a part of re-activating the Intellectual Freedom SIG in Wisconsin! At this meet-up we will discuss local and national intellectual freedom trends, identify short and long term goals for the SIG and consider SIG leadership.

Questions? Contact Kristina Gómez at kgomez@madisonpubliclibrary.org

Link to join below: Please RSVP to Hannah Bunting at the WLA office: bunting@wisconsinlibraries.org

WLA Intellectual Freedom SIG Meet-up
Monday, January 24, 11-12pm
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85791555385?pwd=b0pPS3drNjFHWDlRaTRTdGFHcXlsUT09

As a WLA member, participation in any SIG is free once you've paid your annual dues. What?!? You aren't a member?!?! 

Please consider joining WI's professional library association for the learning, networking, leadership and advocacy opportunities. This blog wouldn't exist without WLA and your membership helps support it and other initiatives like the conferences; webinars; newsletters and communication to help us work together strongly across library type and service population. With WLA, you are never alone and you join a strong network of passionate library folks. Learn more about membership here. 

IF in School Libraries - WEMTA Virtual Webinar

Thurs, Dec 9, 2021

7:00-7:45 pm

Join WEMTA and Megan Schliesman from the Children's Cooperative Book Center as we discuss what Intellectual Freedom is, how this impacts school libraries, what you can do before and after concerns arise, and what services CCBC provides. Participants in the session will also have time to ask questions.

WEMTA members - Free. Non members - $15.

 Register here.