AGAWAM, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Massachusetts ranks fourth in the nation for book challenges — and now the state house is doing something about it. The house has passed a bill that would prevent public and school libraries from banning books based on personal or political views.

While book bans may feel like someone else’s problem, the numbers show this is happening right here in Massachusetts — and still growing. This new legislation would require libraries to adopt a “Library Bill of Rights,” making it much harder for a single complaint to pull a book from the shelves. We spoke with the Assistant Director of the Agawam Library on Friday, who said this is about protecting the “freedom to read” for everyone.

Massachusetts is one of the most educated states in the country. So why does it rank fourth in the nation for book challenges?

A bill now moving through the state house would require libraries to adopt a “Library Bill of Rights”, ­making it harder for a single complaint to remove a book from public shelves. If you’ve ever checked out a book for your child, or yourself, this bill could determine what’s available on those shelves.

“I think it’s great. I think it’s important to protect the intellectual freedom And give librarians the responsibility of deciding what books go in collections,” said Assistant director Cher Collins for the Agawam Library. For parents concerned about content, the process already has safeguards. Libraries use a formal “reconsideration” process — where a challenged book is re-evaluated for age-appropriateness. Sometimes that means moving a title from the children’s section to the teen area. Collins said the conversation with parents is always open, “I think any time anyone tries to restrict someone’s access to materials, I think that it’s a slippery slope. But I’m glad this bill is out there to protect the integrity and the intellectual freedoms.”

The bill also protects the people who curate those collections. Under the legislation, librarians could not be fired or face professional repercussions for following these new standards — something Collins said matters as much as the books themselves.

Agawam hasn’t seen a surge in complaints, but Collins said any move to limit what the public can access sets a dangerous precedent, “I think it’s a great thing for the state, especially in the profession of librarians. I’m proud to be a librarian and stay in Massachusetts, for sure.”

The bill now moves to the senate. For Cher Collins, the fight isn’t just about books — it’s about who gets to decide what stories are worth telling.

If the senate passes this bill, it heads to the governor’s desk. Massachusetts would then join a handful of other states with a legal shield protecting public library collections — and the librarians who maintain them.

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