News Briefs: Stories Related to Censorship, Death of the Paperback, Destruction of Books, Closing of Libraries and Other Items in Recent News You May Have Missed
- by Susan Halas
Stories you may have missed on censorship, death of the paperback, destruction of books, closing of libraries and other items in the news
(Censorship- Slavery Exhibit Lawsuit)
Federal Judge cites Orwell in restoring Slavery Exhibit -- gift article NY Times Feb. 16.
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore displays about George Washington’s ownership of enslaved people at a monument on the site of his former house in Philadelphia. The judge said the government’s claim to have the power to erase and alter historical accounts at the country’s monuments echoed George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984.”
NASA Library Closed by Trump Administration Library Journal, Jan 22.
The NASA Goddard Information and Collaboration Center (GIC2) at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD, closed on Friday, January 2, by order of the Trump administration. In-person services and checkouts had ceased on December 9, 2025.
The facility—formerly known as the Homer E. Newell Memorial Library—was the largest of NASA’s research libraries, serving as a resource for NASA engineers and outside researchers. It housed some 100,000 volumes, including technical manuals, mission data, engineering documentation, and historical research materials used by scientists and engineers to support significant missions such as the Hubble and the James Webb space telescopes. GIC2 had also maintained the collections of the NASA HQ library since 2023, when the HQ library was converted to a visitor center, and hosted the Space Science Data Coordinated Archive, which was taken offline in mid-2025. https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/nasa-closes-goddard-campus-library
(Copyright lawsuit)
Anthropic’s Project Panama scanned and destroyed millions of books to build large language AI models.WaPo Jan. 27
Anthropic eventually bought millions of books, often in batches of tens of thousands, according to the filings… Anthropic noted that the AI company was "seeking experienced document scanning services vendor to convert from 500,000 to two million books over a six month period.”
Saying Goodbye to the Mass Market Paperback New York Times Gift article: Feb. 2.
After almost a century in wide circulation, the mass market paperback is headed toward extinction. Sales have dropped for years, peeled away by e-books, digital audiobooks and even more expensive formats like hardcovers and trade paperbacks, the mass market’s larger and pricier cousin. Last year, ReaderLink — the country’s largest distributor of books to airport bookshops, pharmacies and big-box stores like Target and Walmart — announced that it would stop carrying mass markets altogether. According to Publishers Weekly mass-market paperback publishing is experiencing a severe, long-term decline, with unit sales dropping roughly 84% from 2004 to 2024.
New Jersey library pulls Junot Díaz's novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Waociting suicide risks Feb. 20, NPR
After multiple suicide attempts by local young people, a New Jersey high school removed famous novel from required list. Opponents pushed back citing censorship.
Alternate scenario offered as reason for decline in reading
We have been here before. Not just once, but repeatedly, in a pattern so consistent it reveals something essential about how cultural elites respond to changes in how knowledge moves through society.
In face of AI surge Physical books a priority at Yalefrom Yale News.
“The English classroom is increasingly a kind of special place where it’s still possible to converse without the screen.” Amid the rise of artificial intelligence and concerns about distraction, more English professors are turning to no-technology policies that prioritize physical books and reading packets.
Louisiana Supreme Court rules that defamation case brought by local librarian may go forward Acadiana Advocate Feb. 19
After many back and forth legal maneuvers, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that Amanda Jones, a Louisiana middle school librarian who spoke against censorship by public library board members at a 2022 meeting, could proceed with her case.
Helen Palmer, first wife of Dr. Seuss, had an important influence on his career. Her life ended tragically. Ted Geisel was a great artist and a lousy husband
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: Linschoten, Navigatio ac itinerarium. 1599. Est: € 80,000
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: Basilius Besler, Hortus Eystettensis, 1640. Est: € 180,000
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: Alberto Giacometti, Paris sans fin, 1969. Est: € 15,000
Ketterer Rare Books Auction May 18th
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: J. Glogoviensis, Introductorium compendiosum in tractatum spere, 1513. Est: € 8,000
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: G. W. Knorr, Verlustiging der oogen en van den geest, 1717-50. Est: € 5,000
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: Albert Einstein, Signifcant scientific letter to his Princeton colleague E. G. Straus, 1945. Est: € 10,000
Ketterer Rare Books Auction May 18th
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: Ostrog Bible, 1581. Est: € 18,000
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18:PAN, 10 volumes, 1895-1900. Est: € 12,000
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: Kurt Schwitters, Merz 11, 1924. Est: € 10,000
Ketterer Rare Books Auction May 18th
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: H. Schedel, Liber chronicarum, 1493. Est: € 35,000
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: A.-E. Gautier d’Agoty, Cours complet d’anatomie, 1773. Est: € 8,000
Ketterer Rare Books, May 18: Ch. Bukowski & K. Price, Heat Wave, 1995. Est: € 5,000
Sotheby’s Original Film Posters Open for bidding 5-20 May
Sotheby’s, May 5-20: King Kong (1933). Rare Czech poster for King Kong, 1933. £40,000 to £60,000.
Sotheby’s, May 5-20: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). British One Sheet for Ferris Bueller's Day Off, 1986. £4,000 to £6,000.
Sotheby’s, May 5-20: Goldfinger (1964). British Quad for Goldfinger, signed by Shirley Bassey, 1964. £7,000 to £10,000.
Sotheby’s, May 5-20: Alice in Wonderland / Alice au Pays des Merveilles (1951). French Grande for Alice in Wonderland / Alice au Pays des Merveilles, 1951. £7,000 to £10,000.
Sotheby’s, May 5-20: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). US poster for Breakfast at Tiffany’s, 1961. £15,000 to £20,000.
Sotheby’s, May 5-20: Star Wars (1977). British Quad for Star Wars, 1977. £5,000 to £8,000.
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Book of Hours.- Heures de nostre dame a l'usaige de Romme, Paris, Antoine Chappiel pour Germain Hardouin, [1504]. £6,000-8,000
Forum, May 28: Colonna (Francesco). La Hypnerotomachia di Poliphilo, second edition, Venice, Sons of Aldus Manutius, 1545. £15,000-20,000
Forum, May 28:The Christ Child holding a crystal orb and surrounded by banderoles with devotional exhortations, on a leaf most probably from a Book of Hours, [Southern Netherlands, last decades of the fifteenth century]. £2,000-3,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Jackson (Shirley). The Haunting of Hill House, first English edition, signed presentation inscription from the author to Claude Fredericks, 1960. £2,000-3,000
Forum, May 28: Lennon (John). In His Own Write, first edition, first impression, signed by the author, 1964. £3,000-4,000
Forum, May 28: Doves Press.- Keats (John). [Poems], one of 200 copies on paper, Doves Press, 1914. £5,000-7,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Rodrigues (João Barbosa). Sertum Palmarum Brasiliensium, 2 vol., first and only edition, Brussels, 1903. £8,000-12,000
Forum, May 28: Newton (Sir Isaac). Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica…editio ultima, auctior et emendatior, Amsterdam, Sumptibus Societatis, 1714. £8,000-12,000
Forum, May 28: Kepler (Johannes). Ad Vitellionem paralipomena, wuibus astronomiae pars optica traditur, first edition, Frankfurt am Main, 1604. £5,000-7,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Tagliacozzi (Gaspare). De Curtorum Chirurgia per insitionem, libri duo, first edition, Venice, Gasparo Bindoni, 1597. £7,000-10,000
Forum, May 28: Lootsman (Jacobsz). The Lightning Colomne, or Sea-Mirrour, containing the Sea-Coasts of the Northern, Eastern and Western Navigation..., 1670. £8,000-12,000
Forum, May 28: Ribelles y Helip (José), Attributed to. An album comprising 33 finely executed watercolours of Spanish costume, bull-fighting scenes, and other genre subjects, [circa 1830]. £10,000-15,000
Lion Heart Autographs Landmark Auction of Rare & Important Autograph Letters & Manuscripts—Fresh to the Market and Unseen for Decades May 20, 2026
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: Dr. King will “follow Christ to death” for Racial Equality & “the health of Democracy”. $12,000 to $14,000.
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: 1775 George Washington Naval DS for a “Freind [sic.] to American Liberty”. $15,000 to $18,000.
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: Marie Antoinette Orders Payment for Swiss Guard’s Elite “Cent-Suisses”. $10,000 to $12,000.
Lion Heart Autographs Landmark Auction of Rare & Important Autograph Letters & Manuscripts—Fresh to the Market and Unseen for Decades May 20, 2026
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: Einstein On the Mystery of the Unbelievable. $3,250 to $3,500.
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: Brahms Signed Autograph Musical Manuscript Last Auctioned in 1938. $42,000 to $45,000.
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: John Adams Signed Land Grant for the Army’s Quartermaster General. $3,500 to $4,000.
Lion Heart Autographs Landmark Auction of Rare & Important Autograph Letters & Manuscripts—Fresh to the Market and Unseen for Decades May 20, 2026
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: Darwin Letter Referring to a Photograph. $3,000 to $3,500.
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: Rare Ltd. Ed. of Alfred Dreyfus’ Memoir Inscribed to French Politician and Dreyfusard. $12,000 to $15,000.
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: Unique, Ten Year Post WWII Jazz Archive Including Brubeck, Desmond, Feather, Kenton, Paul, Taylor, Yaged, and Many Others. $1,000 to $1,200.
Lion Heart Autographs Landmark Auction of Rare & Important Autograph Letters & Manuscripts—Fresh to the Market and Unseen for Decades May 20, 2026
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: Detailed 8-Page Mendelssohn ALS Mentioning the Completion of his "Violin Concerto". $2,600 to $2,800.
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: Rare, Signed Book from Susan B. Anthony’s Library with Remarkable Associations. $2,200 to $2,400.
Lion Heart, Ending May 20: Unique Puccini ALS to His Lover Mentioning Five Operas and Two Great Sopranos. $2,200 to $2,500.
Freeman’s, May 15: William Shakespeare’s Fourth Folio, Printed by Robert Roberts, Robert Everingham, and John Macock for Henry Herringman, 1685. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s, May 14: Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Lord of the Rings trilogy. All First Editions and First Impressions. 1955. $15,000 – 20,000.
Freeman’s, May 15: A significant archive of works on communications theory, comprising foundational texts by leading mathematicians. $20,000 – 30,000.
Freeman’s, May 15: ALS, Albert Einstein to President Hoover, Berlin, 1929. “I alone am but a grain-of-dust in the development of the human spirit.” $15,000 – 20,000.
Freeman’s, May 14: William Shakespeare’s As You Like It and The Taming of the Shrew. First Printings of Two Complete Plays From Shakespeare's First Folio. 1623. $30,000 – 50,000.
Freeman’s, May 14: Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four, 1949. First Edition with the Rare Publisher’s Printed Wrap-Around Band. $8,000 – 12,000.
Freeman’s, May 15: Complete Set of 52 Tinted Lithographed Plates Containing Pre-Fire Chicago City Views by Louis Kurz and the Chicago Lithographing Company. $10,000 – 15,000.
Freeman’s, May 14: Jefferson, Thomas. Notes on the State of Virginia. First London Edition. $10,000 – 15,000.
Freeman’s, May 15: A significant archive of works on game theory, comprising foundational texts by leading mathematicians. $20,000 – 30,000.
Freeman’s, May 14: Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Raven" in The American Review. Volume I, number II. February 1845. First Printing in Original Wrappers. $8,000 – 12,000.
Freeman’s, May 14: Stoker, Bram. Dracula. First Edition, First Issue. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s, May 15: A group of artifacts relating to the Pre-Fire Chicago courthouse bell, ca 1871-1877. $800 – 1,200.
