Texas librarian wins PEN award

A woman who helped fight efforts to ban two young adult sex-education books from Texas library shelves has been awarded this year’s PEN-Newman’s Own First Amendment Award.

Montgomery County library director Jerilynn Williams will receive the $25,000 prize at PEN’s annual gala April 22 in New York.

Last August, commissioners in Montgomery County, north of Houston, agreed to temporarily remove “It’s Perfectly Normal” and “It’s So Amazing!” by Robie H. Harris after receiving complaints, particularly from the conservative Republican Leadership Council. The council objected to what it described as the books’ pro-homosexual stance and explicit illustrations. Williams worked to persuade a review committee to put the books back on library shelves.

The prize was established by the PEN American Center, actor Paul Newman and author A.E. Hotchner to honor individuals who have fought to safeguard the 1st Amendment right to freedom of expression as it applies to the written word.