Amarillo film lovers and library supporters have a special evening on the calendar. On Sunday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m., Chapterhouse Bookstore and Aunt Eek’s Books and Curiosities are co-hosting a free public screening of “The Librarians” at the San Jacinto Community Center, 202 S. Louisiana St. The screening will be followed by a Q&A, and RSVPs are available through Eventbrite.
“The Librarians” is directed by Oscar-nominated, Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Kim A. Snyder, and won the 2026 Primetime Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival before reaching PBS’s Independent Lens earlier this year. It follows librarians in Texas, Florida and beyond who confront a wave of book challenges and removals, and who, as the filmmakers tell it, band together as unlikely defenders of intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy. The film centers in particular on stories involving LGBTQ+ themes and other subjects it says have been targeted.
After the film, audience members can take part in a panel discussion and Q&A with Laney Hawes, a participant in the film and co-founder of the Texas Freedom to Read Project. Local Freedom to Read advocates and other community guests will join her, offering a chance to move from the big screen to the conversation happening in our own region. It’s a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone featured in an award-winning documentary.
The hosts say the evening is aimed at anyone curious about how libraries decide which books to shelve, how much influence the public can have on those decisions, and whether local libraries should or shouldn’t have bans on books. Whether you arrive with strong opinions or simply want to learn more, the screening and discussion offer a structured, community-minded way to explore the topic with neighbors.
“The Librarians” screening is free and open to the public, though RSVPs are encouraged. Find out more about the film, including its trailer and screening information, at thelibrariansfilm.com.
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