School Uses AI to Censor Hundreds of Books in Greater Manchester Library

A secondary school in Greater Manchester has found itself at the center of a storm after reportedly using artificial intelligence to flag nearly 200 library books as “inappropriate,” campaigners say.

The move, revealed by the charity Index on Censorship, has drawn attention to the growing role of technology in education—and the consequences when it’s misapplied.

The Books in Question

Titles targeted included classics like George Orwell’s 1984 (in graphic novel form by Matyáš Namai), popular teen novels such as Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight, Michelle Obama’s Becoming, and Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook.

Other works flagged ranged from Terry Pratchett’s Soul Music to Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, and even actor Alan Rickman’s autobiography, Madly Deeply.

AI-generated summaries reportedly justified each book’s removal.

Orwell’s 1984 was flagged for “themes of torture, violence, sexual coercion,” while Twilight was criticized for “mature romantic themes, sexual tension, and violence involving vampires and werewolves.”

Michelle Obama’s memoir was singled out for “racism and political themes,” and The Notebook for being a “romantic drama about enduring love and memory loss.”

Librarian Under Pressure

The librarian who brought the case to light faced immense personal and professional strain.

Following the initial push to remove Laura Bates’ Men Who Hate Women, which exposes incel culture, the headteacher reportedly ordered an “investigation” and closed the library as a so-called safeguarding measure.

The librarian was instructed to remove any books deemed “not written for children,” “potentially upsetting,” or posing “a safeguarding risk.”

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She described the experience as shocking: “I was absolutely gobsmacked. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.”

Ultimately, she resigned due to stress after being placed under a formal safeguarding investigation—a decision that, according to the School Libraries Group (SLG), has effectively ended her career in school libraries.

Role of AI in Censorship

Documents seen by Index indicate that AI was used to generate the reasons for labeling books as inappropriate, though it’s unclear whether AI played a part in selecting the books themselves.

One internal note stated: “Although the categorisation was generated using AI, I consider this classification to be broadly accurate.”

This raises broader questions about relying on AI for subjective judgments, especially when human oversight is limited and librarians’ professional judgment is sidelined.

Impact and Consequences

The fallout has been significant:

• The librarian’s career is reportedly ruined due to a safeguarding complaint, even though some books had been purchased or approved by her line manager.
• Students may now lack access to a broad range of literature, limiting exposure to important cultural, historical, and social themes.
• The case highlights the lack of statutory guidance for school libraries, leaving staff vulnerable to administrative overreach.

Caroline Roche, chair of the SLG, said, “This is over the top. It’s ruined her career.

The fact it’s gone through safeguarding means she will never be able to work in a school again.”

What’s Next?

For now, it is unclear whether the books remain banned or have been reinstated.

The school has not publicly commented, and the librarian remains anonymous due to vulnerability concerns.

The case is likely to fuel broader debates on:

• How AI should be used in educational settings.
• Clear statutory guidance for school libraries.
• Balancing child safeguarding with intellectual freedom.

Index on Censorship has published the full investigation on its website and considers this an unprecedented attack on the freedom to read in schools.

Summary

A Greater Manchester secondary school allegedly used AI to justify the removal of nearly 200 books from its library, including celebrated works of fiction and nonfiction.

The school’s actions led to a librarian facing a safeguarding investigation and ultimately resigning.

Campaigners warn the case exposes vulnerabilities in school library governance and raises urgent questions about AI-driven censorship.

Bulleted Takeaways

• AI was reportedly used to generate reasons for book censorship in a school library.
• Nearly 200 books were flagged, including classics, memoirs, and popular fiction.
• The librarian faced a safeguarding investigation and resigned due to stress.
• Some books were removed despite being approved by line managers or recommended for older pupils.
• The case highlights the lack of statutory guidance for school libraries and the potential misuse of safeguarding rules.
• Campaigners say this represents a serious threat to intellectual freedom in education.