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The Librarians

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94% Tomatometer 35 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities. In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQia+ stories -- triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of White Christian Nationalism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work -- the librarians' rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.
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The Librarians

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The Librarians delivers an illuminating and alarming look at coordinated book bans in America, transforming a hard but necessary watch into a cautionary tale and a stirring call to action.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Observer (UK) Oct 7
Depressing and alarming stuff. Go to Full Review
Nell Minow RogerEbert.com Oct 3
3.5/4
This movie reminds us there is just one way to separate truth from propaganda: learning. Go to Full Review
Sheri Linden New York Times Oct 2
From its superb opening-credits sequence paying tribute to card catalogs of yore to its sharp selection of vintage clips and intimate reportage, “The Librarians” is as well-crafted as it is profoundly alarming. Go to Full Review
Glenn Dunks reDocumented Mar 8
In a way, it’s like arguing with a baby. Sure, your points might be totally accurate and compelling and maybe you made those points with veracious integrity. But ultimately, you’re still arguing with a baby. Go to Full Review
Stephen Silver The SS Ben Hecht Mar 6
Uneven doc on book-banning battles, and the position of librarians on the front lines of them. Go to Full Review
Rich Cline Shadows on the Wall Mar 3
4/5
Addressing the important issue of book banning, this open-handed, honest documentary can't help but get our blood boiling. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Tammy K @RT30208608 22h As a high school Social Studies teacher, I empathize with the people in this movie. We must protect the right to read and learn about ideas, topics, events, and people of all kinds. Perhaps the ones we most need to protect are the ones that make us uncomfortable. We have the right to limit what our own children are exposed to, but we absolutely do not have the right to put those same restrictions on other people's children. I thank God my parents allowed me the freedom to read a wide range of books growing up. I thank God for the libraries and the librarians who opened my world and provided those books. See more Agnes R @TheHikingBookworms Feb 10 An incredibly important documentary. It is incredibly sad. Mind blowing. Emotional. Scary. Moving. Motivating. Hopeful. I streamed it FREE on YouTube via PBS. Please watch it. It's relevant even if you dislike reading and/or books. You think you know, but you probably seriously don't know what's been going on. I'm close to my libraries. I know they've been under scrutiny and fire. But I did not know the extremes certain political groups and individuals have gone to. This isn't recent. It's been building. And it is ongoing. See more William K. @Koolbill Feb 5 Fabulous with a scary and timely message. See more lizzy Jan 20 This film highlights the clear and present danger we face in the USA right now. "That Librarian" and all the librarians that hold books as a guiding light for the rest of the world are my heroes. The vitriol that has been directed toward these courageous folks is reprehensible and needs more daylight to shine on it. We must learn from history in order NOT to repeat it. See more Maria J @miajjohns Jan 17 As a Canadian, this film was eye-opening in understanding the censorship and the framing of important social issues as ‘threats’ to children's innocence. Very impactful film. See more spoko s @spoko Jan 16 It’s framed as a hero story, and the librarians are certainly that—steadily absorbing hostility while doing grinding, essential work. But the film doesn’t go much deeper. I wanted something more: a challenge to my own position, or more serious investigation of the opposition. The stakes are clear, but the scope feels narrow. There are hints of ulterior motives behind book bans, for example, but those threads go unpursued. One standout moment—Amanda Jones talking with her father—offers real tension and nuance, but it’s rare. More of that would have helped. Frankly, even as propaganda, the film doesn’t land especially hard. After all they’ve endured, the payoff seems to be a few local board wins and some camaraderie at ALA. What impact have they had? What comes next? Anything? See more Read all reviews
The Librarians

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Movie Info

Synopsis Librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities. In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQia+ stories -- triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of White Christian Nationalism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work -- the librarians' rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.
Director
Kim A. Snyder
Producer
Kim A. Snyder, Janique L. Robillard, Maria Cuomo Cole, Jana Edelbaum
Screenwriter
Leo Muñoz, Claudio X. González, Jack Youngelson
Distributor
Independent Lens
Production Co
Good Gravy Films, Two Chairs Productions, Artemis Rising Productions, Pretty Matches Productions, World of HA Productions, The Brandt Jackson Foundation, iDeal Partners Film Fund, ITVS International, Independent Television Service, Cuomo Cole Productions, KA Snyder Productions, The Harnisch Foundation, Independent Lens
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 3, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 34m