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Freedom to Read: Home

Celebrate the Freedom to Read

Take a stand against censorship. Read one of 2022's most challenged books!

Link to Gender Queer: a Memoir by Maia Kobabe in the catalog

1: Gender Queer: a Memoir

Link to All Boys Aren't Blue by George M Johnson in the catalog

2: All Boys Aren't Blue

Link to The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison in the catalog

3: The Bluest Eye

Link to Flamer by Mike Curato in the catalog

4: Flamer

Link to Looking for Alaska by John Green in the catalog

5 (tie): Looking for Alaska

Link to The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky in the catalog

5 (tie): The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Link to Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison in the catalog

7: Lawn Boy

Link to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie in the catalog

8: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Link to Out of Darkness By Ashley Hope Perez in the catalog

9: Out of Darkness

Link to A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas in the catalog

10 (tie): A Court of Mist and Fury

Link to Crank by Ellen Hopkins in the catalog

10 (tie): Crank

Link to Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews in the catalog

10 (tie): Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Link to This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson in the catalog

10 (tie): This Book is Gay

History of the Freedom to Read

In May 1953, ALA delegates met with members of the American Book Publishers Council (a parent organization of the Association of American Publishers) in Rye, New York. From that conference emerged The Freedom to Read Statement that begins with the phrase, “The freedom to read is essential to our democracy,” and included seven propositions, the first being, “It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority.” It was transmitted to ALA for consideration at its 1953 Annual Conference in Los Angeles, June 21–27. Continue reading from The Freedom to Read.

What is Banned Books Week?

Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. For more than 40 years, the annual event has brought together the entire book community — librarians, teachers, booksellers, publishers, writers, journalists, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. Continue reading from Banned and Challenged Books.

Censorship Infographics

A line graph depicting the number of unique titles challenged by year. The graph displays a sharp spike from 2020 to 2021, and a slightly less steep spike from 2021 to 2022. The graph notes the exact number of challenges in five years: in 2003, 305 unique titles were challenged. In 2012, 339 unique titles were challenged. In 2020, 223 unique titles were challenged. In 2021, 1,858 unique titles were challenged. In 2022, 2,571 unique titles were challenged. The graphic also notes:
Breakdown of the 1,269 challenges tracked by the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom in 2022. 82% of challenges were to books, graphic novels, and textbooks. 6% were to displays and exhibits. 4% were to programs and meeting rooms. 1% were to films. 7% were to other, including filtering, access, databases, magazines, online resources, artwork, social media, music, pamphlets, student publications, and reading lists.
A graphic depicting who initiated challenges in 2022, based on 1,207 cases with known initiators. 30% of challenges were initiated by parents, 28% by patrons, 17% by political/religious groups, 15% by boards/administration, 3% by librarians/teachers, 3% by elected officials, and 4% by other, including non-custodial relatives, nonresidents, community members without library cards, etc. The graphic also notes:
A graphic depicting where challenges in 2022 took place, based on 1,264 cases with known locations. 48% of challenges took place in public libraries, 41% in school libraries, 10% in schools, and 1% in higher education libraries and other libraries. The graphic also notes:

Book Bans in the News

Browse other banned and challenged books

Link to The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas in the catalog
Link to Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out in the catalog
Link to Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi in the catalog
Link to Melissa (previously published as George) by Alex Gino
Link to Of Mice and Men by John Stienbeck in the catalog
Link to All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely in the catalog
Link to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson in the catalog
Link to To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee in the catalog
Link to The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey in the catalog
Link to Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher in the catalog
Link to Drama by Raina Telgemeier in the catalog
Link to Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James in the catalog
Link to The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini in the catalog
Link to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins in the catalog
Link to Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith in the catalog
Link to The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls in the catalog
Link to Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan in the catalog
Link to Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult in the catalog
Link to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz in the catalog
Link to The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood in the catalog
Link to Fun Home by Alison Bechdel in the catalog
Link to Brave New World by Aldous Huxley in the catalog
Link to The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien in the catalog
Link to Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich in the catalog
Link to Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi in the catalog