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Letters and Briefs

View an archive of our advocacy letters including signatory letters, amicus curiae briefs, copyright office comments, statements, and government comments.

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Authors Guild Signatory Letters

2024

12/2/23 – Letter to Shelf Awareness Re: Cancellation of Ad for Israel Alone by Bernard-Henri Lévy

10/16/24 – Letter to Montgomery County (Texas) Commission Re: Re-classification of Colonization and the Wampanoag Story as “Fiction”

9/4/24 – Letter to Brevard County Schools (Colorado) Re: Removal of Shō Harusono’s Sasaki and Miyano Vol. 1

8/27/24 – Letter to Elizabeth School District (Florida) Re: Removal of 19 books in accordance with new “Sensitive Content Catalogs” policy

7/19/24 – Letter to Indian River School District (Florida) Re: Removal of Alan Gratz’s Ban This Book

6/20/24 – Letter to Greenville County School District (South Carolina) Re: Removal of Ellen Hopkins’ Perfect and Tilt and Sarah J. Maas’ Empire of Storms

6/13/24 – Letter to Cameron R-1 School District (Missouri) Re: Review and restriction of dozens of school library books

5/30/24 – Letter to Senate Committee on the Judiciary Re: PRESS Act Markup (S.2074)

5/14/24 – Letter to Rutherford County Schools (Tennessee) Re: Removal of 18 books from school libraries

4/2/24 – Letter to NYC Mayor and City Council Re: Budgeting for New York City Libraries

3/26/24 – Letter to Roane County School District (Tennessee) Re: Board policy requiring temporary removal of books during challenge process

3/5/24 – Letter to St. Johns County School District (Florida) Re: Order to remove books with sexual content from district libraries

2/16/24 – Letter to PS 55 The Henry M. Boehm School (New York) Re: Improper removal of hundreds of books

1/19/24 – Letter to Rockingham County Public Schools Re: 57 books challenged and removed from school libraries while under consideration.

1/3/24 – Letter to Elkhorn Area School District Re: More than 400 books challenged and removed from school libraries while under consideration.

2023

12/14/23 – Letter to Dallas Center – Grimes CSD Re: More than 70 books improperly removed from school libraries.

12/6/23 – Letter to Hanover County Public Schools Re: Removal of 75 books from school libraries.

11/28/23 – Letter to North Syracuse Central School District Re: Revisions for policy that restricts access to challenged books during the review process.

11/15/23– Letter to Menomonee Falls Schools Re: Removal of 33 books from school library.

11/8/23 – Authors Guild Applauds Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Josh
Hawley (R-MO) for Introducing the No Section 230 Immunity for AI Act

11/7/23 – Letter to Boyle County School District Re: Removal of more than 100 books with false claims of compliance to Law SB 150.

10/30/23 – Letter to Cobb County School District Re: Violation of current policy in removing books from school libraries.

10/18/23 – Letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul Re: Support for S5026/A6040, the Freelance Isn’t Free Act

10/16/23 – Letter to Sunapee School District Re: Revisions to school district policy that removes access to challenged books while under review.

9/21/23 – Letter to St. Tammany Parish Library Re: Restriction of more than 150 books.

9/8/23 – Letter to Fort Worth Independent School District Re: Removal of more than 100 school library books.

9/8/23 – Letter to Somerset Public Schools Re: Challenging school rule that limits students’ speech.

8/30/23 – Letter to Carroll County Public School District urging revision of policy that allows challenged books to be removed while under reconsideration.

8/16/23 – Letter to Craven County Schools Re: Recommendations for book review policy changes.

8/15/23 – Letter to Director of Iowa State Department of Education, McKenzie Snow Re: Guidance for Senate File 496, which Iowa school districts are unsure of how to implement.

8/10/23 – Montgomery County Memorial Library System and Commissioners Court Re: Age restriction and labeling of children’s and young adult’s books in public libraries.

8/9/23 – Open Letter Calling for Global AI Policy to Protect Editorial Integrity

7/26/23 – Letter to New Hanover County Schools Re: Pending Challenge to Jason Reynolds’ and Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You

7/24/23 – Letter to Hernando School District Re: Removal of Louis Sachar’s Marvin Redpost: Is He a Girl?

7/13/23 – Letter to Rockwell Falls Public Library Re: Cancellation of Drag Queen Story Hour and Suggestion About Removing Books with LGBTQ+ Themes

7/10/23 – Letter to President Biden Re: Support for Anti-Book Ban Coordinator

5/26/23 – Letter to Oklahoma Governor J. Kevin Stitt Re: Veto of Bill Weakening State Anti-SLAPP Laws

4/7/23 – Letter to Iowa City Community School District Re: Removal of This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

4/6/23 – Letter to Sioux City Community Schools Re: Removal of This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

3/24/23 – Letter to the Greenville County Library System Re: Proposed Change to Library Collection Policy

3/24/23 – Letter to Martin County School District Re: Removal of Nearly 100 Books from District Libraries

3/8/23 – Letter to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Re: Removal of Library Books Without Following District Policy

2/24/23 – Letter to Broward County Public Schools Re: Removal of Sex Ed Book Before Formal Review

2/15/23 – Letter to Madison County Public Schools Re: Removal of More than 20 Books from School Libraries

2/9/23 – Letter to Pinellas County Schools Re: Removal of The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

2/1/23 – Letter to McKinney Independent School District Re: Revised Sexual Content Policy

1/24/23 – Letter to Hernando School District Re: Removal of Thirteen Books by Ellen Hopkins from School Libraries

2022

11/28/22 – Letter to Natrona County School District Re: Proposed District Library Policy

11/28/22 – Letter to Aiken County Public Schools Re: Removal of The Hate U Give

11/3/22 – Letter to Beaufort County School District Re: Removal of Ninety Books from School Libraries

10/28/22 – Letter to Texarkana Independent School District Re: Removal of Books from District Libraries

10/26/22 – Letter to the White House Re: Journalism Competition and Preservation Act

10/24/22 – Letter to Conway Public Schools Re: Removal of Beyond Magenta and Felix Ever After

10/14/22 – Letter to the School District of Pickens County Re: Removal of Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You

10/13/22 – Letter to the School District of Escambia County, Florida Re: Removal of More than 100 Library Books

10/6/22 – Letter to the U.K. Minister of Markets and Enterprise on the artificial intelligence exemption

9/22/22 – Letter to Spotsylvania County Public Schools Re: Removal of Four Library Books

9/16/22 – Letter to Frisco Independent School District Re: Removal of Library Books

9/8/22 – Letter to Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District Re: Policy Changes Allowing Removal of Library Books

9/2/22 – Letter to Norman Public Schools Re: Admonishing Teacher for Sharing Digital Library Resources

8/25/22 – Letter to Madison County Schools Re: Restricted Access to Ten Books

8/24/22 – Letter to Pinellas County Schools Re: Recommended Removal of Books

8/22/22 – Letter to Collier County Public Schools Re: Addition of Advisory Notices to Library Books

8/19/22 – Letter to Conroe Independent School District Re: Challenged Book Policy Changes

8/18/22 – Letter to Keller Independent School District Re: Removal of Challenged Books

8/8/22 – Letter to Auburn Enlarged City School District Re: Proposed Policy Updates

7/21/22 – Letter to Central Bucks School District Re: Amending Library Materials Policy

7/11/22 – Letter to Fairview School District Re: Removal of Gender Queer

5/23/22 – Letter to Nampa School District Re: Amending Book Challenge Procedures

4/1/22 – Memorandum in Support of Freelance Isn’t Free Act S8369 (Gounardes)/A9368 (Bronson)

2/1/22 – Letter to the Senate Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights

2/1/22 – Letter to McMinn County School District Re: Removal of Maus

1/19/22 – Open Letter: New York Literary Organizations Support ‘Rap Music on Trial’ Legislation

1/7/22 – Letter to Llano County Commissioners Re: Removal of It’s Perfectly Normal and In the Night Kitchen

1/7/22 – Letter to Wayzata School Board Re: Removal of Lawn Boy

2021

12/8/21 – NCAC Leads Coalition Statement on the Attack on Books in Schools

11/17/21 – Letter to Orange County Public Schools Re: Book Challenge Procedures / Gender Queer

11/17/21 – Letter to Brevard County Public Schools Re: Book Challenge Procedures / Gender Queer

11/9/21 – Letter to Wissahickon School District Re: Book Challenge Procedures / Gender Queer

11/8/21 – Letter to North Kansas City Schools Re: Challenge to Fun Home and All Boys Aren’t Blue

11/8/21 – Letter to Canyons School District Re: Book Challenges

10/22/21 – Letter to North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District Re: Challenge to Library Books

10/20/21 – Letter to Virginia Beach City Public Schools Re: Challenge to Library Books

10/14/21 – Letter to Hudson City School Districts Re:Removal of Lawn Boy

10/14/21 – Letter to Katy Independent School District Re: Challenge to Jerry Craft books

10/14/21 – Letter to Cass County Public Library Board of Trustees Re: Attempts to remove It’s Perfectly Normal

10/14/21 – Letter to Fairfax County Public Schools Re: Book Challenge Procedures

9/28/21 – Letter to Lake Travis Independent School District re a challenge to Out of Darkness

9/28/21 – Re: Central York School District’s diversity resources list

7/29/21 – Cancellation of Forget the Alamo event at the Bullock Texas State History Museum

6/22/21 – Non-Partisan Coalition Statement Opposing “Divisive Concepts” Legislation

6/16/21 – Joint Statement on Legislative Efforts to Restrict Education about Racism and American History

5/14/21 – The Guild Urges NYC to Enhance Public Library Budgets

4/31/21 – Proposed Georgia State Law Violates Authors’ Rights

4/29/21 – The Guild’s Legislative Proposals for Collective Bargaining

4/29/21 – #DisneyMustPay Uncovers Additional Unpaid Writers Owed Royalties by Disney

2/16/21 – The Urgent Need to Support Authors and the Literary Arts

1/29/21 – Authors Groups Raise Concerns Over PRH and S&S Merger in Letter to DOJ

2020

12/18/20 – Re: Removal of Slaughterhouse Five from the curriculum

11/02/20 – Re: Removal of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian from the curriculum

9/23/20 Re: Removal of ​Fun Home​ from curriculum

10/13/20 – AG Signs Letters to Presidential Campaigns, Emphasizing Copyright Protections

10/13/20 – Re: Removal of Ghost Boys from curriculum

10/1/20 – Letters Sent to Congress and White House to Address Mixed-Earner Gap

8/17/20 – Joint letter with AAP and ABA to Congressman Cicilline, Chair of the House Antitrust Subcommittee, expressing our concerns with Amazon’s monopoly and monopsony power 

7/17/20 – Joint statement to Congress asking it to fix the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program re: Mixed Income Earners.

7/17/20 – Letter in Support of Anti SLAPP & NYSBA Media Law Committee Memorandum Re A5991A & S52A

7/9/20 – Letter to Missouri Department of Corrections in support of prisoners’ right to write and publish a book.

6/5/20 – Letter to Senators McConnell & Schumer and Reps. Pelosi and McCarthy asking Congress to provide libraries with $2 billion dollars in COVID-19 financial relief.

6/01/20 – Authors Guild Affirms Support for Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against Internet Archive Brought by Four Leading Book Publishers

5/26/20 – Joint letter with CBLDF criticizing the removal of a cartoon satirizing President Trump.

5/21/20 – Open letter to Internet Archive and Brewster Kahle demanding that the “National Emergency Library” be shut down.

5/14/20 – Joint open letter with NBCC regarding the need for book reviews.

5/14/20 – Copyright Alliance letter to Congress on value of copyright during COVID-19.

5/13/20 – Freelancer Union letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi regarding stimulus eligibility for freelancers.

5/1/20 – Authors Guild Files a Friend of the Court Brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Steinbeck Case

4/29/20 – NCAC letter to Alaska school board regarding “potentially controversial” books.

4/22/20 – PEN open letter from literary arts organizations to New York City Council Members.

4/22/20 – NCAC letter regarding anti-LGBTQ book bans.

4/16/20 – NCAC letter supporting a right to protest during the pandemic.

4/14/20 – Letter to Congress regarding clarification of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to apply to freelancers and independent contractors.

3/19/20 – ASAE template letters sent to Representative Malone and Senators Schumer & Gillibrand asking for relief for NFPs in coronavirus stimulus packages.

1/24/20 – NCAC statement condemning Missouri Library Censorship Bill.

1/17/20 – Letter to US Trade Representative regarding South African IP regime.

2019

10/21/19 – NCAC letter regarding Columbia County, GA schools excluding three novels.

3/7/19 – AAUP statement opposing President Trump’s executive order regarding campus free speech.

3/6/19 – Open Markets letter to Department of Justice Antitrust Division opposing the merger of largest two U.S. printers.

2/19/19 – NWU controlled digital lending FAQs.

2/19/19 – NCAC letter regarding the removal of Fun Home from Hunterdon County, NJ high schools.

2018

12/5/18 – SPLC letter regarding the censorship of an Arkansas high school newspaper.

11/28/18 – NCAC letter regarding the Florida Department of Corrections impounding prison paper The Militant.

10/19/18 – Letter to Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to protest its policy preventing friends, family, or charitable organizations from sending books directly to prisoners.

8/17/18 – NCAC joint statement regarding President Trump’s letter to Simon & Schuster.

8/8/18 – Letter to Group Nine Media in support of the Thrillist Union and their efforts to secure a fair employment contract for writers in digital media.

8/2/18 – Letter to the White House Press Secretary protesting the prevention of CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins from covering a Rose Garden event.

7/10/18 – Letter to South Carolina Fraternal Order of Police for pressuring the removal of The Hate U Give from high school summer reading list.

6/21/18 – NCAC letter regarding the removal of The Hate U Give from South Carolina high school reading list.

3/7/18 – IAF letter addressed to the Canadian Parliament expressing concern about the overexpansion of Canada’s fair dealing (i.e., fair use) exceptions for educational uses.

2/19/18 – NCAC letter regarding the removal of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from Duluth, MN curriculum.

2/19/18 – NCAC letter regarding the removal of Looking for Alaska from Clinton, NC school.

2/19/18 – NCAC letter regarding the removal of The Hate U Give from Springfield, MO classrooms.

2/6/18 – NCAC letter regarding a challenge to The Giver in McKinney, TX elementary school.

2017

11/30/17 – NCAC letter regarding the removal of A Bad Boy Can Be Good for A Girl from Cody, WY high school.

Authors Guild Amicus Briefs

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

DateTitle
December 6, 2023Reply Comments on Artificial Intelligence and Copyright (pdf)
November 2, 2023Authors Guild Calls on U.S. Copyright Office to Require Consent and Compensation for AI Training
August 7, 2020AG, Creator Groups Respond to Copyright Office’s Proposed Rule Changes to Ease Notice of Termination Requirement
August 5, 2020Joint Comments to the US Copyright Office about Modernizing Recordation of Notices of Termination
August 1, 2020Comments to the US Copyright Office about Rule Requiring Deposits of Electronic Books for the Library of Congress’ Collections.
March 19, 2020On the Copyright Office’s Definition of “Publication”
February 19, 2019On “Group Registration of Short Literary Works” (pdf)

Authors Guild Government Comments

12/13/22 – Comments to the U.S. Department of Labor on on Proposed Rule Governing Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

1/17/20 – Joint comments to US Trade Representative on South Africa’s IP practices.

1/10/20 – Comments to USPTO on Artificial Intelligence.

7/29/19 – Comments to Department of Commerce on “Combating Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods.”

Authors Guild Statements

Click here for Authors Guild statements.

Advocacy