The Librarians, a Powerful Look at the Quiet Heroes Battling Against Book Banning in America, Premieres February 9 on Independent Lens

San Francisco, CA (December 10, 2025)—The award-winning documentary, “The Librarians,” offers a gripping, human look at the escalating wave of book bans unfolding across the United States. Premiering February 9, 2026, on PBS’s INDEPENDENT LENS, the film follows a courageous network of besieged librarians as they unite to examine how book restriction policies are shaping library collections.

From Oscar-nominated Director/Producer Kim A. Snyder (“Death By Numbers,” “Newtown,” “Us Kids”) and Executive Producer Sarah Jessica Parker through her Pretty Matches Productions banner, “The Librarians” takes viewers from Texas to Florida and beyond, where local libraries have become unexpected battlegrounds in a national struggle over parental control, intellectual freedom, and democracy itself.  Sparked by the controversial “Krause List” in Texas, which targets 850 books centered on race and LGBTQIA+ stories, the film takes a deep investigative dive into the escalating movement against book banning. The film captures the courage and resilience of the everyday heroes, librarians, as well as concerned parents and students flanking them, who have become first responders in the fight for the freedom to read, standing defiantly against censorship at all costs.

“When we began this journey three and a half years ago, I was inspired by the courage of everyday librarians who risked so much to protect our First Amendment rights,” said Kim A. Snyder, director/producer of “The Librarians.” “As we embedded in Texas, we evolved our vision to expand the scope of their stories into an odyssey with national dimension against the backdrop of a historically unique time, imbued by archival references and some of our greatest challenged books.”

“Fighting a coordinated effort to ban books in public schools, librarians have become the canary in the coal mine—often at great personal and professional risk—when they find themselves at the center of censorship debates in communities across the country,” said Lois Vossen, a founding executive producer of INDEPENDENT LENS. “The Librarians” explores our most sacred American ideal, the Freedom of Expression, and reminds us what’s at stake when conformity outlaws curiosity, endangers free thinking, and, in the case of some librarians, criminalizes public service. It’s absolutely at the center of what ITVS and INDEPENDENT LENS stands for—supporting films that inspire thoughtful discussion and champion the freedoms that define our communities.”

Across the country, librarians are standing on the front lines of this debate on access to information. Champions like Amanda Jones, a school librarian in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, and Martha Hickson of North Hunterdon High School in Annandale, New Jersey, have faced harassment, death threats, and even been labeled “criminals” for defending students’ rights to read books that explore LGBTQIA+ experiences and racial justice. Despite retaliation and public attacks, librarians such as former Keller Independent School District librarian Audrey Wilson-Youngblood, Florida elementary school librarians Julie Miller and Marie Masferrer, and former Llano County librarian Suzette Baker continue to advocate for the freedom to read, and protect access to books for their communities.

The documentary is produced by Janique L. Robillard (Oscar-nominated “Death by Numbers”), Maria Cuomo Cole (“Death by Numbers,” “Newtown,” “The Invisible War”), and Jana Edelbaum (“Beyond Utopia”). This marks Snyder’s latest collaboration with ITVS, following her acclaimed films, including “Newtown” and “Welcome to Shelbyville.”

Funded through ITVS’s Open Call, “The Librarians” will premiere on PBS’s INDEPENDENT LENS on February 9, 2026, (check local listings) and will be available to stream on the PBS app.

“The Librarians” will also be featured as part of the award-winning Indie Lens Pop-Up program. Through deep partnerships with PBS stations, PBS Books, libraries, community organizations, and local changemakers, Indie Lens Pop-Up uses independent documentaries as launchpads for dialogue, civic participation, and lasting connection. INDEPENDENT LENS, along with over 150 community partners, will present special screenings with community discussions across more than 40 states, beginning in January 2026.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Kim A. Snyder, Director/Producer

Director/Producer Kim A. Snyder is the Peabody Award-winning filmmaker of “Newtown” (Sundance 2016, INDEPENDENT LENS, Netflix), “Us Kids” (Sundance 2020 and 14 subsequent awards), “Lessons from a School Shooting…” (Tribeca 2018–Best Documentary Short, Netflix Original, Grierson Award nominee), and “Welcome to Shelbyville” (INDEPENDENT LENS).

Janique L. Robillard, Producer

As a documentary filmmaker and creative producer, Janique L. Robillard’s passion has always been elevating marginalized voices through documentary storytelling—evidenced in her short films “1000 Times” and “From There to Here,” and work with acclaimed directors like Kim A. Snyder (“Death by Numbers”) and Jeremiah Zagar (“The Fix”).

Maria Cuomo Cole, Producer

Peabody and Emmy® Award-winning producer Maria Cuomo Cole’s credits include “Death By Numbers” (2024, Montclair–Best Short Doc), “Us Kids” (Sundance 2020), “Lessons from A School Shooting…” (Netflix), “Newtown” (Sundance 2016) and Oscar-shortlisted “Living for 32” (2010). Executive producer credits include “The Hunting Ground” (2015) and Oscar-nominated “The Invisible War” (2014).

Jana Edelbaum, Producer

Emmy and DuPont Award-winning producer Jana Edelbaum, founder of Ideal Partners, recently released “Beyond Utopia” (Sundance Audience Award, Hulu). Previous work includes: “House of Z,” “Strange Weather,” and “Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?” She is producing the Alvin Ailey feature with Barry Jenkins (Searchlight) and Swifties feature.

CREDITS

Director 

Kim A. Snyder

Produced By

Kim A. Snyder

Janique L. Robillard

Maria Cuomo Cole

Jana Edelbaum

Executive Producers

Carrie Lozano 

Lois Vossen 

Royd Chung 

Sarah Jessica Parker

Alison Benson

Hallee Adelman 

Amber Alonso 

Kate Garwood 

Marni E. J. Grossman

Geralyn Dreyfous 

Tegan Acton 

Emma Pompetti 

Thomas Campbell Jackson

Penny B. Jackson

Melony and Adam Lewis

Peter Resnick

Christian Camargo 

Colleen DeVeer

Misan Sagay

Rachel Cohen

Heidi Stolte

Chris Stolte 

Ruth Ann Harnisch

ABOUT INDEPENDENT LENS

INDEPENDENT LENS is an award-winning documentary series that fosters understanding, seeks to build empathy, and encourages a more united society. Produced by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS documentaries have premiered on PBS for 25 years and streamed on YouTube, helping Americans foster deeper connections between communities and themselves. From the Oscar-nominated “I Am Not Your Negro” to the Peabody-acclaimed docuseries “Philly D.A.” and the Emmy Award-winning “The Invisible War,” INDEPENDENT LENS provides viewers with in-depth, nuanced storytelling reflecting the experiences of people from a variety of voices and communities. INDEPENDENT LENS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting: a private corporation funded by the American People, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Acton Family Giving, Park Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation.

Stream anytime on the PBS app or YouTube. Learn more at pbs.org/independentlens.

ABOUT ITVS

Independent Television Service (ITVS) is the largest co-producer of independent documentaries in the United States. For more than 30 years the San Francisco nonprofit has funded and partnered with documentary filmmakers to produce and distribute untold stories. ITVS incubates and co-produces these award-winning titles and premieres them on our Emmy Award-winning PBS series, INDEPENDENT LENS. ITVS titles appear on PBS, WORLD, NETA, and can be streamed on various digital platforms including the PBS app. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Acton Family Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Park Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation. For more information, visit itvs.org.