In this week’s issue: The nation’s largest literary event, the LA Festival of Books, returns live this weekend; the 125^th-anniversary issue of Publishers Weekly looks back on those who changed the publishing industry forever and explores the history of censorship in American publishing; Kentucky becomes the first state to assume control of public library boards across the state; the war in Ukraine is disrupting the fledging book publishing industry there; and more.

LA Festival of Books Is Back
Los Angeles Times
The Festival of Books is back live and in person at the University of Southern California on April 23 and 24. The list of authors and panelists participating is as impressive as ever.

They Made a Difference: 25 Book Business Change Makers
Publishers Weekly
As part of its 125th-anniversary celebration, PW looks at some crucial innovators in publishing.

Kentucky Hands Unprecedented Control of Public Libraries to Politicians
Book Riot
Kentucky state legislators overrode Governor Andy Beshear’s veto of a bill granting the legislature control of all public libraries, including the ability to “appoint whomever they want to library boards and block major library spending.”

Russian Invasion Upends Young, Flourishing Ukrainian Publishing Industry
NPR’s All Things Considered
For decades, big Russian companies dominated the publishing business in Ukraine. Enterprising Ukrainian publishers changed that, but now, with bombs falling, they’re struggling to keep operating.

How Free Is Free Expression?
Publishers Weekly
Gayle Feldman offers this retrospective on censorship in the publishing industry over the past 125 years.

Twenty-Four Hours in the Creative Life
The New York Times
In this interactive story, two dozen successful visual artists, actors, dancers, playwrights, musicians, and authors including Beanie Feldstein, YoYo Ma, Tony Kushner, and Maxine Hong Kingston weigh in with advice for artists in their early, middle and late careers.

Poem: “When My Gender is First Named Disorder”
The New York Times
In honor of National Poetry Month, this poem by Torrin A. Greathouse examines how society views women and its impact on the writer.