The Librarians — Paonia | Everyday Democracy Series

About the Film

Librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy and our First Amendment Rights. In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books, 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 extremism 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.

> Watch the trailer here.   

Through their stories, we see librarians not just as information providers, but as protectors of trust, democracy, and civic connection.  

Jamie LaRue, regional librarian, and author on librarian censorship, will host a brief Q&A session at the end of the film.

Families are welcome at all of our gatherings. Each venue has space nearby where children can step out with a caregiver if they need a break. Because the events include a full film screening and small group conversations, we encourage parents to bring quiet activities for children so the space can remain focused and comfortable for everyone. 

This event is produced in partnership with The Learning Council, Delta County Libraries, The Paradise Theatre, and Indie Lens Pop-Up.

Filmmakers: Kim A Snyder, Janique L Robillard, Maria Cuomo Cole, Jana Edelbaum 

About the Series

This event is part of Everyday Democracy: Stories That Build Us, a community film and conversation series from Rocky Mountain Public Media’s Above the Noise initiative.

The series creates space for something essential: people talking to people about the real stuff of life—everyday experiences like care, work, belonging, childhood, and access to information that shape how we see the world and how we participate in it.

Across three months, Everyday Democracy presents four beautifully crafted films (that friends can find on the RMPBS+ app), each followed by small-group conversations that help build connection across differences and deepen our understanding of one another’s stories.

Above the Noise is Rocky Mountain Public Media’s statewide civic-dialogue series that brings Coloradans together—in person and online—to listen, reflect, and connect. This initiative is part of RMPM’s broader Statewide Civic Engagement effort to strengthen trust, empathy, and participation across all 64 counties of Colorado.