‘The Librarians’ (2025) Review – A Harrowing Fight To Protect The Written Word

The power of books and reading is one that can’t be underestimated in a world where social media literacy has replaced the need for textbook literacy. Fewer and fewer people are reading; they’d rather post about a book on their social media account or skim-read using AI-powered apps to appear more literate and sophisticated in front of their friends.

In The Librarians, director Kim A. Snyder brings librarians, a profession often overlooked, to the forefront. She frames them as heroes taking care of business, defending the most precious ideology: thoughts. Freedom of speech, literary inclusivity, and representation become the focal point of this documentary as more librarians emerge to discuss book banning, the power of the written word, and the oppressive nature of eliminating particular topics from libraries, making certain books out of reach, especially for children.

Carolyn Foote, Suzette Baker, Julie Miller, and Amanda Jones are the unsung heroes in the spotlight here. Stars in their own right as they discuss the importance of standing up for what they believe in and fighting for the freedom of thought. Snyder does a great job not just highlighting the book keepers—also known as the guardians of the texts—but the books themselves. One cover after another appears on screen—books we’ve all loved and cherished during our younger days. The idea of those books being eliminated by authoritative figures in power, who impose a particular ideology on the masses, is frightening—especially when the targeted books are liberal, diverse, non-heteronormative, and discuss scientific topics that are often dismissed as mythical or inappropriate by the far right.

The documentary highlights the power of words and what they entail. The written word and the way it illuminates minds and forges paths toward a more inclusive, empathetic future. But also how words can be twisted and manipulated into appearing as if they are weapons of mass destruction, meant to titillate and disturb minds, especially those of children. There is an excessive mention of children in the film, whether through the Moms for Liberty group, religious speakers, politicians, or librarians themselves. There is a fight over which group of people will influence the future generations more than the other. Despite the role of librarians, sacred and beloved by children and parents since the dawn of time, now there’s a bigger concern and fear behind them. They are seen as a threat, as an inciting factor for the kids to read and explore beyond censored ideas and spoon-fed, digestible thoughts.

One of the key elements that The Librarians is trying to highlight is how people in power want to prevent the public from forming their own point of view. Through this vicious and calculated attack on one of society’s most vulnerable subsets, librarians, people fear facing a similar fate or reading in the first place. Reading becomes an act of rebellion but also a cautionary tale for the uninformed. Instead of encouraging our children and youths to seek and research, and immerse themselves in the textbooks, we shove them away from particular books and into a normative, monotonous wave of succinct, controlled sea of knowledge, which opposes the core purpose of learning.

The Librarians is a call for action. It’s a cry for help and a key statement that every intellectual should pass on to the next. It’s not just a work of art or critique, but a global duty that every free citizen of the world should observe, and it is by no means an easy read. But the core message that it is trying to send viewers from all over the world (and zeroing in on American audiences) is to get out of their comfort zones and read. Just read without any external influence. Pick the next book from the closest shelf and read.

The Librarians is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of 8 Below.