Banned Books Week: October 5-11, 2025

Book banning is a common form of censorship that occurs when "private individuals, government officials or organizations remove books from libraries, school reading lists or bookstore shelves because they object to their content, ideas or themes. Those advocating a ban complain typically that the book in question contains graphic violence, expresses disrespect for parents and family, is sexually explicit, exalts evil, lacks literary merit, is unsuitable for a particular age group, or includes offensive language." Other complaints involve books being written by or regarding LGBTQ+ people & issues or books that bring up "topics like slavery that might make individuals uncomfortable."

Webb, S. (2023, August 8). Book banning. Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University. https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/book-banning/

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. Challenges are more than a person expressing their point of view, they are an attempt to remove specific materials from a curriculum or library in order to restrict access.  

A banning is the removal of those materials from libraries, schools, and bookstores. 

Use the arrows at the top to move back and forth through time to see the increase in challenged books across the United States over the past decade.

After 2023's record high number of unique titles targeted for censorship, the number of reports documenting attempts to censor books decreased in 2024. However, the number continues to far exceed the numbers prior to 2020. Below are a few factors the ALA cites as contributing to the decrease:

• Underreporting – Many book challenges are not publicly reported or covered by the press. In many cases, reporting censorship poses significant risk to a library worker’s professional livelihood and personal safety.
• Censorship by Exclusion – This occurs when library workers are prohibited from purchasing books, or required to place books in restricted or less accessible areas of the library due to fear of controversy.
• Legislative restrictions – Several states have passed laws restricting the type of materials available in libraries and schools based on the ideas or topics addressed in the materials. Many of these laws require school districts to restrict or remove library materials that are broadly deemed to include “sexual content” or controversial themes, resulting in the removal of books with literary or educational merit from school libraries that include LGBTQ+ characters or themes, or the removal of books about race or racism and featuring characters of color.

It's up to all of us to fight censorship, and that doesn't stop after Banned Books Week ends. Here are some ideas from the Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) about what you can do to fight censorship, keep books available in your library, and promote the freedom to read:

• Stay informed. If you hear of a challenge at your local library, support your librarian and free and open access to library materials by contacting the OIF. OIF estimates it learns of only 3-18% of book challenges. Find out your library's policy for reviewing challenged materials. 
• Speak out. Announce the importance of unrestricted reading on your local public radio station with a PSA script. Write letters to the editor, your public library director and your school principal supporting the freedom to read. Talk to your friends about why everyone should be allowed to choose for themselves and their families what they read.
• Exercise your reading rights. Check out a banned book. Encourage your book club to discuss rebellious reads.

All year round, Unite Against Book Bans (UABB) provides resources, events, and tools to connect, equip, and mobilize the public to advocate in their communities for the right to read and to defeat attempts at every level of government to censor reading material. Check out a few of their resources below:

• Action Toolkit -- Full of voter-tested nonpartisan talking points, tips for contacting decision makers and working with media, grassroots organizing ideas, and more.

• Book Résumés -- Details commonly contested books' significance and educational value and are easy to share with administrators, book review committees, elected officials, and board members.