Submitted by Elizabeth Reinhart
(May 8, 2026) — The Essex Library Association will host a screening of the documentary, The Librarians, on May 20, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Former American Library Association President Maureen Sullivan will introduce the film and place its main themes in the context of Connecticut. A short discussion with the audience will be facilitated after the screening. Admission is free. RSVP: 860-767-1560 or staff.essexlib@gmail.com. Essex Library is located at 33 West Avenue in Essex.
The Librarians chronicles an unprecedented wave of book banning sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond. As the crisis escalates, librarians join forces as unlikely defenders on the front lines of democracy. In a dystopian saga akin to a real-life Fahrenheit 451 sequel, director Kim A. Snyder’s gripping documentary traverses small-town U.S.A. with riveting interviews and troves of archival material to reveal the story of the country’s heroic librarians, everyday Americans who have become unlikely defenders of democracy, risking everything to uphold our most fundamental of rights.
Maureen Sullivan (photo above) is a widely recognized leader and educator in the library profession. Her career has included positions as the Human Resources administrator at two major research libraries, the University of Maryland and Yale University. She has served as a consultant to libraries on the development of their strategic plans. She has designed and led numerous leadership development programs. Sullivan served as the 1998-1999 president of the Association of College and Research Libraries and as the 2012-2013 president of the American Library Association. In 2021 Governor Lamont appointed Sullivan, who is a native of Norwich, to the Connecticut State Library Board. She served as its chair from September 2021 to April 2023. She was Acting City Librarian in New Haven from June 2022 to June 2023 and as Interim President and CEO of the New Canaan Library from December 2023 to February 2024.
Photo provided by Essex Library
