Books

Public Opinion Divided: Iowa Book Ban Law Receives Mixed Reactions as Over a Thousand Books are Removed

by

Des Moines, Iowa – A new poll conducted by the Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll reveals that half of Iowans believe the state’s controversial book ban law, which has led to the removal of over a thousand books from public schools, goes too far. Meanwhile, a third of respondents view the law and subsequent removals as “about right.” Only 13% of those surveyed felt that the law did not go far enough, while 3% were undecided. The book ban law, known as Senate File 496, was signed by Governor Kim Reynolds in May 2023. This … Read more

Libraries Fight Soaring Costs of Digital Books as Patrons Face Long Waiting Lists

by

HARTFORD, Conn. – West Haven, a city in Connecticut, is grappling with the financial strain caused by the steep costs of e-books and audiobooks at public libraries. Libraries, including the one in West Haven, are facing exorbitant prices for digital copies of popular titles, with these prices often much higher than what consumers pay. For instance, while the library can purchase a hardcover copy of a bestselling author like Robin Cook for $18, leasing a digital copy can cost up to $55. The cost issue is further compounded by the fact that these digital copies … Read more

Nvidia Faces Copyright Lawsuit for Alleged Unauthorized Use of Books in Training AI Platform

by

Santa Clara, California – Nvidia, a prominent AI-focused company, is facing a copyright lawsuit filed by a group of authors who claim that the company used copyrighted books without their permission to train its NeMo AI platform. The authors, Brian Keene, Abdi Nazemian, and Stewart O’Nan, allege that their books were included in a dataset of around 196,640 works that were used to train NeMo in simulating normal written language. The dataset was later removed due to reported copyright infringement. The lawsuit argues that the removal of the books from the dataset is an admission … Read more

Iowa Attorney General Appeals Federal Court Decision on Law Banning Explicit Books from School Libraries

by

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird has filed an appeal against a federal district court’s decision to halt the implementation of a law that bans certain books from school libraries. The law, signed last year, prohibits books with depictions or descriptions of a list of sex acts from being accessible to students. Bird expressed her commitment to protecting the innocence of children and maintaining safe learning environments in schools. The appeal aims to uphold Iowa’s law and defend the interests of Iowa families in court. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) … Read more