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AG in Action

AG in Action: Discussing Book Banning at the Princeton Public Library

June 4, 2026

Red background with a grouping of attendees and a header that reads "AG in Action: Discussing Book Banning at the Princeton Public Library"

On Monday, June 1, Authors Guild General Counsel Cheryl Davis and Sold author Patricia McCormick took part in a conversation about “Book Banning in the U.S.” as part of a fundraising event for the Princeton Public Library. Sold, which tells the story of a girl from Nepal named Lakshmi who is sold into sexual slavery in India, was the second most banned book in the country in 2025, according to PEN America. Eliza Griswold, director of Princeton University’s journalism program, moderated the discussion.

McCormick spoke about her experiences as the author of a frequently banned book and how her book has helped children come forward to discuss abuse they have suffered. The very act of reading about someone else’s experience can help give a child the words and tools to explain their own situation. One of the many harms book bans can cause is depriving children of those tools.

Davis spoke about the legal landscape of book bans and how fighting censorship can (and should) be a bipartisan issue. She also answered questions about actions library supporters can take, including:

  • Running for library boards;
  • If they can’t run themselves, learning and understanding the viewpoints of library board candidates;
  • Reaching out to local and state representatives to object to laws that remove books from library shelves based upon their content or their authors belonging to historically marginalized groups; and
  • Donating to libraries in areas where books are being wrongfully removed.

Learn more about where and how the Authors Guild is fighting book banning in the U.S. here.