Columbus Premiere: The Librarians (2025)

At a time when the debate over book banning has reached unprecedented levels, The Librarians follows the personal and professional lives of school and public librarians across the United States as they confront censorship efforts head-on. From Texas to Florida, and across communities nationwide, these professionals have become unlikely front-line defenders of democracy, tasked not only with protecting their collections but also with safeguarding access to ideas.

Through intimate portraits of librarians like Carolyn Foote, Suzette Baker, and Amanda Jones, the film documents their daily work as well as the extraordinary pressures they face—harassment, threats, and political pushback—for refusing to remove books that explore themes of race, identity, sexuality, and history. The film also investigates coordinated campaigns—such as the “Krause List” of over 850 targeted titles—that have fueled local battles in school boards, libraries, and state legislatures.

What emerges is a story about far more than libraries: it is about the fight for truth, the fragility of democratic norms, and the resilience of everyday people who choose to stand for open access to knowledge.

You may also like the following events from Gateway Film Center:

• This Saturday, 27th September, 02:00 pm, Saturday Morning Cartoons 2025: Sidekicks in Columbus
• Next Monday, 29th September, 07:00 pm, Silent Movie Day: Metropolis (1927) 4K Restoration in Columbus
• Next Wednesday, 1st October, 07:00 pm, Cult 101: Thief (1980) 4K Restoration in Columbus

Also check out other Entertainment events in Columbus, Sports events in Columbus.