Sydney Library Removes Gaza Media Analysis Book Following Resident Complaint

Waverley Library in Sydney, Australia, has removed a book titled "How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza" from its shelves following a complaint from a survivor of a December shooting at Bondi Beach. The Waverley Council stated the book, written by American author Adam Johnson, has been withdrawn for a review of its selection processes.

The library serves Bondi and eastern Sydney suburbs, which include a large Jewish community and the site of a December attack where two gunmen killed 15 people at a Hanukkah event. A survivor of that attack reported on social media that she was distressed to see the book on a new-release shelf, leading to multiple complaints to the council.

Waverley Council officials noted that the library outsources its book selection and purchasing, meaning the title was not originally chosen by council staff. While the physical book has been removed from shelves during the review, it remains in the library's digital catalogue and can still be reserved by patrons.

Adam Johnson, the book's author, told the Guardian that the objection appeared to center on the use of the word "genocide," which he defended as a mainstream opinion in the human rights community. Conversely, Alex Ryvchin of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry supported the removal, stating such material contributed to the "dehumanisation of Jews." Bart Shteinman of the Jewish Council of Australia disagreed, calling the removal "deeply alarming" and arguing that public libraries should host a range of views.

For the average library user, this policy change means that certain books may be unavailable for immediate browsing on physical shelves, though they may still be accessed through reservation systems. The move highlights a shift in local governance, as the council confirmed it will now "consider processes to ensure closer oversight" of how books are selected for the public. This suggests a potential move away from the fully outsourced model currently used by many public libraries, which could change the variety of titles available to the public in the future.

The incident also sets a precedent regarding the interpretation of the New South Wales Library Act, which was amended by the state parliament in June to protect libraries' freedom of selection. The current review by Waverley Council will test how local authorities balance community sensitivities—particularly following a mass casualty event that killed 15 people—against these state-level protections for library collections. A final decision on whether the book will return to the shelves, or if selection policies will be formally altered, has not yet been assigned a specific deadline by the council.