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Martha Hickson

@sassylibrarian.bsky.social
4.8K followers 305 following 5.5K posts

📎2023 NJLA Librarian of the Year📎Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians📎NCAC Outstanding Librarian📎AASL, NJLA & NJASL Intellectual Freedom Awards📎InsiderNJ 2025 Policy Makers Power List📎2026 MLK Spirit Hall of Fame📎Ban book banners!

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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 13h
Just listened to another great episode of @heykellyjensen.bsky.social Liberating Lit podcast. This one features my pal @librarianjones.com with great advice for freedom to read advocates whose batteries may be running low.
podcasts.apple.com
Liberating Lit with Amanda Jones
Podcast Episode · Liberating Lit · S1 E3 · 38m
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
If the MAGATs in your life are posting about Cheney & Raskin, they are broadcasting their ignorance. That story originates from a site that labels its content as satire & stamps every image “Nothing on this page is real.” Understanding that requires reading & thinking, which ain’t MAGA’s jam.
 Note on the America’s Last Line of Defense page:

Nothing on this page is Real. America's Last Line Of Defense (ALLOD) is a satire site along with its sister site America Loves Liberty. It was created by the well known internet troll Christopher Blair aka Busta Troll. It was created to monetize content from gullible MAGA and right-wing Facebook users. The picture has the watermark saying "Nothing on this page is real.”Picture of Liz Cheney from a post about her and Jamie Raskin on the America’s Last Line of Defense page. The image is labeled “Nothing on this page is real.”Closeup of the label “Nothing on this page is real” on a picture of Liz Cheney from a post about her and Jamie Raskin on the America’s Last Line of Defense page.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
OOTD. Truth in packaging.
Martha wearing a blue tee shirt and blue & white striped pants. Tee shirt says Society of obstinate headstrong girls, seriously displeasing since 1813.
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BrooklynDad_Defiant! @mmpadellan.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The only thing that would make this MORE hilarious is if they were to name the building after Barack Obama. I might NEVER stop laughing.😆😆😆
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Today in retirement: Made a basket at the Swan Bay Folk Art Center in Port Republic, followed by the Atlantic City theater Company’s production of Forever Plaid at @stocktonupac.bsky.social. Both fun!
Tan and green basket with handle.Program for Forever Plaid at Stockton University Performing Arts Center
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daily bunnies 🐇✨ @dailybunnies.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
A brown lop-eared bunny lies relaxed on a bed beneath a pink blanket with white spots.
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Andy Heppelle🇺🇸🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🇬🇱🇺🇳🏳️‍⚧️ @andyheppelle.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Wanda has some thoughts on book banning, hate mongering politicians
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
My inner voice is kinda cute!
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kelly jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Florida officials demand that public schools and character schools throughout the state begin banning books proactively or face punishment. There's no Miller Test here. The state claims they have no list, but they point to several lists for schools to begin with. bookriot.com/florida-educ...
bookriot.com
"Weed On Purpose, Not Only After a Fight": Florida Official Demands More School Book Bans
Florida's Commissioner of Education is demanding all public and charter schools in the state proactively ban books–or face punishment.
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Florida Freedom to Read Project @flfreedomread.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
We hope you were able to join us yesterday for Show Up, Speak Up: Vote for the Freedom to Read. If not, there’s still time to add your voice to our collective action at www.nobookbans.org. Here’s an encore of the @sassylibrarian.bsky.social performance: youtu.be/VCnPdSehxvw?...
youtu.be
A Ballad for Book Banners
YouTube video by Martha H
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George Wallace @mrgeorgewallace.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Roses are red, Violets are blue, Drag queens ain't done shit to you
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Graham Maby
Bass player Graham Maby
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
My pal Jennie Pu, director of Hoboken Public Library, explains why all families deserve intellectual freedom on @njspotlightnews.org. Thanks for the shout out, Jennie! @thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social
youtu.be
NJ Spotlight News: September 23, 2026
YouTube video by NJ Spotlight News
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
“Each parent controls their own child’s access to library books … No parent has a right or community member has a right to challenge books just sitting on the shelf in a library.”
newsobserver.com
Wake schools restricts parents’ ability to challenge books, citing new state law
Wake County says parents can now only prevent their children and not other students from borrowing specific school library books.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Today in retirement: Had a blast participating in the nobookbans.org Show Up, Speak Up telethon! If you missed my contribution, here it is. Props to my rhythm section (my husband Doug) and to Tony Danza, who first inspired me to pick up the uke!
youtu.be
A Ballad for Book Banners
YouTube video by Martha H
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Yesterday in retirement: Attended a concert by Fred Lehotay & the Ragtimers at the Long Beach Island Library. Lead singer & saxophonist Fred is 90 and fit as a fiddle. Delightful!
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Vanessa Chaland @vanessachaland.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Books don't harm young developing minds. Criminals, poverty, abuse, neglect, pedophiles, malnutrition, disease, war and many other things do. Books...do not. 👍
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Phil Bildner @philbildner.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Books I read in middle school: The Dead Zone Ball Four Alive The Bronx Zoo Cujo Stop coddling middle schoolers. Let them read what they want to read. Books open minds and hearts. Books save lives. Stop banning books.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Just added: JUDY BLUME! Register for this community action event here ➡️ nobookbans.org
Show up, speak up! Vote for the freedom to read. Sept 24th, 2-4 pm EST. Register: nobookbans.org
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Join me and an all-star line-up of freedom to read champions on Thursday 9/24 for a Show Up, Speak Up: Vote for the Freedom to Read virtual variety show. Let us entertain you while you make a plan to vote and call your reps! Register for this community action event here ➡️ nobookbans.org
nobookbans.org
Join a star-studded lineup of authors and influencers to champion the freedom to read. Sign up now!
Join a virtual variety show featuring a star-studded lineup of freedom to read champions celebrating books, authors, and readers. We’ll SHOW UP by making a plan to vote, then SPEAK UP by calling our representatives and sharing our commitment to the Freedom to Read.
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Senator Andrew Zwicker @andrewzwicker.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Congratulations to The Librarians on a well-deserved Emmy win! This film wouldn’t have been possible without the powerful story of North Hunterdon High School librarian Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Available on AOL now without paywall. Keep sharing. It’s that good! www.mycentraljersey.com/story/opinio...
mycentraljersey.com
Central Jersey doesn't need a culture war over books | Editorial
Disputes over library books and programs are pulling Somerset and Hunterdon communities into a divisive culture war.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
If you hit a paywall, here’s a workaround: archive.today/i0rar
archive.today
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Please share with your networks this outstanding condemnation of censorship from NJ. www.mycentraljersey.com/story/opinio...
mycentraljersey.com
Central Jersey doesn't need a culture war over books | Editorial
Disputes over library books and programs are pulling Somerset and Hunterdon communities into a divisive culture war.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
“These hapless culture warriors toss their grenades of outrage from behind the transparent shield of parental rights because they have no evidence that these books will lead to an American dystopia … They seemingly refuse to let facts confuse the issue. Is their goal to make America stupid again?”
mycentraljersey.com
Central Jersey doesn't need a culture war over books | Editorial
Disputes over library books and programs are pulling Somerset and Hunterdon communities into a divisive culture war.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
“America has survived and flourished for 250 years without arbitrary and capricious restrictions on expression or access to expression. That's one reason nations around the globe look to America as a beacon of human rights and freedoms … Those are the perks of being an American.”
mycentraljersey.com
Central Jersey doesn't need a culture war over books | Editorial
Disputes over library books and programs are pulling Somerset and Hunterdon communities into a divisive culture war.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
“Have these library books caused the price of gasoline and beef to rise to unbearable levels? Have these books been responsible for the skyrocketing cost of utilities and health insurance?”
mycentraljersey.com
Central Jersey doesn't need a culture war over books | Editorial
Disputes over library books and programs are pulling Somerset and Hunterdon communities into a divisive culture war.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Letterboxd reviews of @thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social. Yes and yes.
Letterboxd reviews of The Librarians documentary;

3.5 stars, Ryan Olbrysh, 20 Sep 2026
“It was very difficult to sit and watch a smorgasboard of right-wing, pearl-clutching, intolerant, fake-Christian lunatics ranting and raving and obsessively trying to impose their beliefs on the rest of the country, but this is an important documentary nonetheless.”

5 stars, cburdett99, 20 Sep 2026
“People really are that stupid”
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Who wore it best?
Meredith MarksThe Scream
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Losers attack libraries.
Losers attack libraries. Fight for librarians!
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Apparently it’s railroad day in retirement! I. Part 2, we visited the display at the Cape Atlantic Model Railroad Club in Egg Harbor City. Doug was in his element. Kinda hilarious that my 6’7” husband is so into tiny trains.
Doug at the door of the Cape Atlantic Model Railroad Club in Egg Harbor City NJDoug with the neon sign for the Cape Atlantic Model Railroad Club in Egg Harbor City NJDonation sign for the Cape Atlantic Model Railroad Club in Egg Harbor City NJ
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
“It is not the two paragraphs about a couple of queer kids realizing they have genitals in a YA book that’s causing damage to anyone. It’s the actual pedophiles & groomers who not only keep falling upward into positions of power but who also are protected by sycophants and loyalists ...”
buttondown.com
Iowa Lawmakers Hate Reading Books Almost As Much As They Hate Queer Kids
There's no requirement for a whole book to be read before it's banned in Iowa under SF 496. A new proposal to the bill could speed up bans even more.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
“They care more about thinking about what’s in the underpants of minors than they do about prosecuting the people of their party who have sexually abused, assaulted, and trafficked children.” buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
buttondown.com
Iowa Lawmakers Hate Reading Books Almost As Much As They Hate Queer Kids
There's no requirement for a whole book to be read before it's banned in Iowa under SF 496. A new proposal to the bill could speed up bans even more.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
“This is about compliance and erasure, not about any actual danger.”
buttondown.com
Iowa Lawmakers Hate Reading Books Almost As Much As They Hate Queer Kids
There's no requirement for a whole book to be read before it's banned in Iowa under SF 496. A new proposal to the bill could speed up bans even more.
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kelly jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Iowa lawmakers hate reading whole books almost as much as they hate gay kids. A look at the implementation of SF 496 and a new proposal to make things even worse. If you're in Iowa, you need to comment before September 22. Details on how, what, and why. buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
buttondown.com
Iowa Lawmakers Hate Reading Books Almost As Much As They Hate Queer Kids
There's no requirement for a whole book to be read before it's banned in Iowa under SF 496. A new proposal to the bill could speed up bans even more.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Any pro tips on getting a cat to come back home? It’s been over a week & Suzy’s still missing. Several sightings by neighbors. We’ve left food, water, her bedding, her litter, our clothing outside. Searched the neighborhood daily. Contacted vets offices & the pound. Posted on social. No luck.
Black and white cat SuzyBlack and white cat Suzy on a chair
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Paul van der Meer @paulvandermeer.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
37 pages of the Epstein files that mysteriously disappeared are now going to be released. According to Senator Whitehouse of Rhode Island they detail Tr*mp sexually and physically assaulting a 14-year-old. Yesterday a federal court has ordered these to be released.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
“Conservative parents voted for liberal school board candidates ‘because they were tired of the chaos’ that Moms for Liberty had brought.”
theguardian.com
No more book bans: how Florida students are pushing rightwingers out of school boards
Local communities are fighting back against the influence of conservative groups like Moms for Liberty in education
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has second thoughts on Elie Wiesel’s Night and Bonnie Wallace’s book ban list
youtu.be
Nevermind - Emily Litella
YouTube video by daryl huff
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to book banner Bonnie Wallace
static.klipy.com
Michael Scott Says Never Mind
Alt: Michael Scott Says Never Mind
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick retracts attack on Night and support for book banner’s list due, in part, to pressure arising from @thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social Red Carpet Reading List
jta.org
After outcry, Texas lieutenant governor says schools should teach Holocaust books ‘Night,’ ‘Anne Frank’ - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Dan Patrick sought to clarify his earlier positions on ‘vulgar books’ in a statement to JTA.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
“Alabama’s public libraries do not need a Chief Censorship Officer breathing down their necks and poring through their collections for books that feature people and ideas one government agency has deemed ‘inappropriate’”
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Leila Green Little @ifightforbooks.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
GREAT piece today from @heykellyjensen.bsky.social with collab from @sarahlamdan.bsky.social, @flfreedomread.bsky.social, and @tasslyn.bsky.social. Awesome quote from @maggietokudahall.bsky.social. Read it. It’s good. bookriot.com/book-censors...
bookriot.com
“We Need To Tell The Story”: Literary Advocates Nationwide Reflect On Five Years of Relentless Attacks on the Freedom to Read
Advocates for the freedom to read across the country share their wins, challenges, and opportunities as the work enters year six.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
My pal Guy Citron speaks up for the right to read in Readington NJ, the district where an opponent to censorship faced a “knock and talk” from local cops after making a public comment opposing censorship No paywall here: archive.today/dTpcB
newjerseyhills.com
Does Paulo Lopes get to decide what your child is allowed to read?
On Tuesday, Sept. 8, at the Readington Township Board of Education meeting, I began my public comment with a simple question: “What is your favorite book?” I asked because whatever
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
So whenever I see these stories about amazing variations in nature — newly discovered species of cats or birds or butterflies, for example — I always wonder how anyone could be so arrogant (or ignorant) to deny the existence of transgender people.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
All of us librarians brought a challenged book to the Emmy awards. I brought a childhood favorite. An incredulous Jimmy Kimmel asked, “Why would someone want to ban Harriet the Spy?” @jimmykimmel.com @jimmykimmellive.bsky.social @thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social
The Librarians Red Carpet Reading List

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

"This is a book I read again and again as a young girl. Smart, funny, and fiercely independent, Harriet confidently marched to her own drummer, giving me a fictional friend to admire. Over the years, book banners felt differently, attempting to restrict Harriet because they claimed the book teaches children to lie, talk back, and curse. Labeling a character like Harriet as inappropriate tells young readers that they are inappropriate too.
Instead, I listened to Harriet's nanny, Ole Golly, who advised, 'There are as many ways to live in this world as there are people in this world, and each one deserves a closer look."

Martha Hickson, Librarian, New Jersey
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Cool stamps on a card I received today from CANada.
Postage stamps from Canada: 

Yellow tin can, the label shows an illustration of a family eating a meal. Text: Cabanes a Sucre, Sugar Shacks, Canada

Red tin can, the label shows an illustration of children playing in the snow outside a cabin. Text: Cabanes a Sucre, Sugar Shacks, Canada
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Our sweet neighbor, Sally, brought us some beautiful limelight hydrangeas from her yard today to celebrate @thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social Emmy win.
Green limelight hydrangeas in a book-shaped Little Women vase.
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I just listened to @heykellyjensen.bsky.social first episode of Liberating Lit podcast with @tasslyn.bsky.social and immediately shared it with local Freadom Fighters who are under fire. It’s a great conversation that inspires, motivates, and builds community. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...
podcasts.apple.com
Liberating Lit
Books Podcast · Weekly Series · A podcast about literary and library advocacy. Be inspired to fight book bans, champion libraries, defend the First Amendment, and meet incredible people across the U.S...
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Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
A new tactic that’s all the rage here in NJ is for extremist BOE members to leave the table and take the mic during public comments to sow chaos and disinformation. Watch Bridgewater BOE prez Michael Pepe instruct extremist BOE member Jeremy Li on the role of a board member. Well done Pres. Pepe! 👏
youtube.com
Bridgewater BOE Meeting 9/15/2026
YouTube video by Web Resources
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