The Librarians (2025)

September 26, 2025 (US) • Documentary • 92m

Overview

As an unprecedented wave of book banning is sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy.

Director

Kim A. Snyder

Writers

X González, Leo Munoz, Jack Youngelson

Top Billed

Suzette Baker

Keywords

library book banning

Where to watch

Free / Included

PBS

Top Billed Cast

Suzette Baker

Self

Becky Calzada

Self

Carolyn Foote

Self

Martha Hickson

Self

Amanda Jones

Self

Marie Masferrer

Self

Julie Miller

Self

Weston Brown

Self

Crew

Kim A. Snyder

Director

Maria Cuomo Cole

Producer

Jana Edelbaum

Producer

Kim A. Snyder

Producer

Janique L. Robillard

Producer

Geralyn White Dreyfous

Executive Producer

Regina K. Scully

Executive Producer

Marni E.J. Grossman

Executive Producer

Austin Reedy

Editor

Carrie Lozano

Executive Producer

Lois Vossen

Executive Producer

Leah Boatright

Editor

Ruth Ann Harnisch

Executive Producer

Sarah Jessica Parker

Executive Producer

María Gabriela Torres

Editor

Hallee Adelman

Executive Producer

Chris Stolte

Executive Producer

Heidi Stolte

Executive Producer

Tegan Acton

Executive Producer

Emma Pompetti

Executive Producer

Kate Garwood

Executive Producer

Adam Lewis

Executive Producer

Melony Lewis

Executive Producer

Jamie Wolf

Co-Executive Producer

Nathalie Seaver

Co-Executive Producer

Amber Alonso

Executive Producer

Alison Benson

Executive Producer

Rachel Cohen

Executive Producer

Thomas Campbell Jackson

Executive Producer

Penny B. Jackson

Executive Producer

Claire Demere

Co-Executive Producer

Christian Camargo

Executive Producer

Beesham A. Seecharan

Co-Executive Producer

Cynthia Kane

Co-Producer

Amy Bench

Cinematography

Derek Wiesehahn

Cinematography

Paulius Knotijevas

Cinematography

Mark Becker

Supervising Editor

Colleen deVeer

Executive Producer

Peter Resnick

Executive Producer

Misan Sagay

Executive Producer

Deepen Shah

Co-Executive Producer

Taylor Vila

Co-Executive Producer

Janna Devinsky

Associate Producer

Gaby Edwards

Associate Producer

Nico Muhly

Original Music Composer

X González

Writer

Leo Munoz

Writer

Jack Youngelson

Writer

Reviews

CinemaSerf

⭐ 6/10

January 18, 2026

This is quite a scary documentary, depicting as it does, the culture clashes in the United States between two polar opposite sets of opinion that leaves the school librarian caught in the ensuing maelstrom. With the increasing politicisation of education and it’s resources, more and more parents and politicians are reacting to their perceptions of indoctrination by banning books. No we are not usually talking about the likes of Josef Goebbels spouting hatred from a swastika-bedecked podium; in many cases these are just ordinary parents who fear that their kids are being exposed to corrupting material at an early age by people who have an agenda! Anyone recall Margaret Thatcher’s similar “Section 28” legislation that attempted to achieve the same goals forty-odd years ago in the UK? It was horrendous then and is no less so now, and the fact that professionals are living under threats of violence for attempting to uphold what they believe to be their First Amendment obligations is frankly quite breathtaking. The subjective nature by which this censorship is applied is presented, as are the religious undertones of those directly involved and/or funding the groups so vociferous in their opposition to free expression. My problem with this is a lack of balance. These librarians are given the microphone but not one of them takes a view supportive of intervention. Maybe there aren’t any amongst the USA's thousands of library staff, but I doubt that and so at times this came across as too one-sided. Moreover, I didn’t count one man interviewed from the librarian's side either. For a debate to have traction and deliver any chance of a solution, both sides must be heard equally. There are no one-to-one chats with parents terrified about the sexualisation of their offspring. Sure, there is plenty of news actuality and home video recordings of school board meetings, but I think that in order to understand just why feelings on this topic run so very high we have to listen to both sides of the argument and see whether compromise is possible. This documentary clearly presents a scenario in which that would seem impossible, but just as it horrifically monikers some librarians as “paedophile” it also portrays some parents as little better than ignorant bigots. This certainly spotlights some atrociously short-sighted and oppressive policies and it certainly makes me more appreciative that I grew up in a nation where God, as is mentioned here, was left in his church and not brought to the classroom. It’s provocative and in many ways disgusting, but there was room in ninety minutes to at least try to understand the philosophy and apprehensions of some people this makes it very easy to abhor and ridicule.

show less

Loading…

The Librarians (2025)

X González, Leo Munoz, Jack Youngelson

Where to watch

Top Billed Cast

Crew

Reviews

CinemaSerf

Recommended Movies

The Handmaiden

The Mummy

Ghostbusters

Whisper of the Heart

Status

Original Language

Budget

Revenue

Rate This Movie

Rate This TV Show