The Librarians - A Documentary About Free Speech and Democracy

The documentary The Librarians shows how American librarians have become frontline figures in the fight for democracy and free speech - at a time when the right to read freely is a political battleground.

In 2021, the so-called Krause List in Texas - 850 titles about race and LGBTQIA+ - triggered a wave of book bans that has since spread across the entire USA. The film follows librarians who refuse to back down, and who despite harassment, threats, and targeted legislation maintain free access to knowledge. Along the way, connections are revealed between local boards and the more extreme forces behind the censorship movement, making clear that the struggle over books is fundamentally about the control of ideas - and thus society itself.

After the screening, Fredensborg Library invites a shared discussion about the film, censorship, democracy, and free speech. The question on the table: could the same happen in Denmark?