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The Librarians

Play trailer Poster for The Librarians 2025 1h 34m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 17 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
Librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities. In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQia+ stories -- triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of White Christian Nationalism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work -- the librarians' rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.

Critics Reviews

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Lisa Kennedy Variety Filmmaker Kim A. Snyder’s illuminating documentary offers a rattling look at coordinated efforts to ban books. More importantly, it introduces viewers to the everyday and increasingly vital heroes pushing back. Feb 6, 2025 Full Review Zachary Lee RogerEbert.com What Snyder does so effectively is affirming the dignity of this vocation by showing how the work of librarians goes beyond just saving books. Jan 30, 2025 Full Review Leslie Felperin The Hollywood Reporter That deft level of craft is maintained throughout, while the aching musical bed by contemporary composer Nico Muhly adds just the right tone of plangent despair tinged with hope. Jan 26, 2025 Full Review Sarah Manvel Movies We Texted About So anxious to avoid the bigger picture it doesn’t so much as ignore the forest for the trees as ignore the trees for the leaves. Jul 21, 2025 Full Review Derrick Murray This is For Reel The Librarians is a hard but necessary watch, and you won’t find a more relevant and timely documentary this year. It is both a cautionary tale and a battle cry call to action. No matter how uncomfortable it makes you, everyone needs to see this film. Jul 15, 2025 Full Review Gerald Peary Arts Fuse Hooray for this weighty and necessary film! Hooray for mighty librarians! Jun 23, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Kim A. Snyder

Director

Carolyn Foote

Self

Leo Muñoz

Writer

Claudio X. González

Writer

Jack Youngelson

Writer

Kim A. Snyder

Producer

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The Librarians

The Librarians (2025) The Librarians (2025) The Librarians (2025) The Librarians (2025) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities. In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQia+ stories -- triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of White Christian Nationalism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work -- the librarians' rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.
Director
Kim A. Snyder
Producer
Kim A. Snyder, Janique L. Robillard, Maria Cuomo Cole, Jana Edelbaum
Screenwriter
Leo Muñoz, Claudio X. González, Jack Youngelson
Production Co
Good Gravy Films, Two Chairs Productions, Artemis Rising Productions, Pretty Matches Productions, World of HA Productions, The Brandt Jackson Foundation, iDeal Partners Film Fund, ITVS International, Independent Television Service, Cuomo Cole Productions, KA Snyder Productions, The Harnisch Foundation, Independent Lens
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 34m