The new PBS documentary The Librarians, now streaming on PBS.org and the PBS app, offers an inside look at a profession that many say has been pulled into one of the most visible cultural debates in the country. Part of the network’s Independent Lens series, the film follows librarians across the United States as they confront organized challenges to books and growing pressure surrounding intellectual freedom, access to diverse stories, and the role of public education. What unfolds on screen is not only a story about literature, but about power, perception, and the future of public institutions.
For three Texas librarians featured in the documentary, the decision to participate came after years of navigating changes they say few in the public fully understood. The film captures moments that often unfold quietly in school board meetings, public hearings, and community conversations, spaces that rarely receive national attention but have become central to a rapidly shifting cultural landscape.
“In some ways, this isn’t really about library books,” said Carolyn Foote, an Austin-based librarian who appears in the documentary. “It’s about political power.”
Directed by Kim Snyder, The Librarians explores how local debates over individual titles evolved into coordinated efforts to influence school boards, public institutions, and policy across the country. Through personal stories and historical context, the film documents a shift that many library professionals describe as unprecedented in scale. It also examines how libraries, once considered neutral and largely uncontroversial, have become contested ground in broader conversations about race, identity, and the role of public education.
Foote said she initially, and maybe naively, believed the situation would remain limited to isolated challenges.
“At the beginning, we felt like the narrative was misrepresenting both the quality of the books and the work of professional librarians,” she said. “At the time, we had no idea it would get as bad as it has or as widespread as it has. We just thought we could not let ourselves be misrepresented.”
That realization led to organizing and advocacy. When filmmakers reached out, she saw an opportunity to document a turning point, not just for libraries, but for public education more broadly.
“This moment is going to shape the future of public education,” Foote said.
For Audrey Wilson, a Fort Worth area school librarian, the shift became clear during the summer of 2021, when concerns that once followed familiar channels began to change.
“We had parents going into our digital library app and taking screenshots of graphic novels and other books they believed were inappropriate,” Wilson said. “They were sending them directly to school board members and leadership. Before that, parents would come to the librarian and we would have conversations. The tone was very different. It shifted from concern about their own child to what was inappropriate for all students. From there, we saw an avalanche of book challenges.”
Wilson said that shift marked the beginning of a new era in which local disputes could quickly become national talking points. Social media amplified individual concerns, while outside groups often entered local conversations, shaping public perception and accelerating conflict.
The documentary captures these dynamics, showing how narratives about safety, parental rights, and education can take hold even when the reality on the ground is more complex. Wilson said appearing in the documentary required weighing the risk of public scrutiny against the need for transparency.
“By the spring of 2022, I realized the only path forward was to speak publicly and broadly,” she said. “Working with the film became part of that.”
Suzette Baker, a public librarian in Llano County, said the documentary also highlights how these debates extend beyond schools into public library systems and local governance. In rural communities, she said, changes often unfold with less visibility but just as much impact.
“They stripped the library advisory board and replaced it with political appointees,” Baker said. “This was not just about books. It was about control of public institutions.”
In smaller towns, she said, public libraries often serve as essential infrastructure, providing access to information, technology, and basic services that residents may not find elsewhere. That role makes them particularly vulnerable to political shifts.
She said librarians were sometimes discouraged from speaking publicly in a climate where scrutiny, harassment, and public criticism were increasing, which made participation in the documentary feel both risky and necessary.
“We were told we could not attend meetings or speak out,” Baker said. “But being silent gives them a path to retaliate against you. Your words and your speaking out keep you safer.”
The film also explores the emotional and professional toll the controversy has taken on librarians, many of whom describe harassment, threats, and an erosion of trust within their communities. Wilson said the experience revealed how little many people understand about the profession and the training required to do the work.
“Our work is often invisible,” Wilson said. “It became either that anyone could do our job or that we were intentionally harming children.”
Yet the documentary also shows moments of connection and resilience. Librarians continue to serve as guides, educators and advocates for literacy in communities facing economic and social challenges. For Foote, that mission remains central.
“Literacy is a gateway to employment, a gateway to college, and a gateway to living your life,” she said.
Research has long linked access to libraries and certified librarians with improved student outcomes, higher literacy rates, and expanded opportunity. In communities with limited resources, that access can shape long term outcomes for students and families.
In rural areas, Baker said public libraries often function as hubs for community life, offering services that go far beyond books.
“People come to us for help with government services, health care, and technology,” she said. “We are a community resource.”
From helping residents apply for benefits to providing internet access for job applications and telehealth appointments, libraries often fill gaps left by other institutions.
All three librarians said they hope the documentary encourages viewers to reconnect with their local libraries and recognize the role they play in sustaining democratic participation.
“Libraries are the purest form of democracy,” Baker said.
Wilson agreed, adding that the most effective way to protect libraries is simple but powerful.
“I want people to run to their library and use it,” she said. “The best way to protect libraries is to use them and to speak up for the right to read.”
As debates over education, identity, and access continue to unfold, The Librarians offers a window into the individuals navigating those tensions in real time. For the Texas librarians featured in the film, the goal is not only to document a moment, but to ensure that the work happening inside libraries remains visible.
The Librarians is currently available to stream through PBS and the Independent Lens platform.