Since 1982, the American Library Association has hosted its annual Banned Books Week in response to rising numbers of book challenges in libraries, schools, and bookstores. The ALA is a founding member of the Banned Books Week Coalition, which aims to “increase awareness about censorship attempts and to encourage the defense of the freedom to read.”
Today, most book censorship attempts originate from organized movements, which initiate 72% of all challenges to books in school and public libraries. Parents account for only 10% of challenges, while individual users account for 5%. The top cited reasons for challenges, provided by complainants, were claims of illegal obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters or themes; and topics of race, racism, equity, or social justice.
The ALA has reported a spike in book challenges since 2021. In 2023, a record 1,247 attempts to challenge books and other library materials were reported, the highest since the ALA began tracking in 1990. ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) recorded 821 attempts to censor library books in 2024, with 2,452 unique titles challenged.
In honor of Banned Books Week, SCARLA will be teaming up with LISSA to host a free flowing discussion & open mic night celebrating the right to intellectual freedom on Monday, October 6. Click here to register for the event on Zoom, sign up for the open mic, or add your thoughts and videos to SCARLA’s Celebrating Intellectual Freedom padlet.
Visit ALA’s Let Freedom Read Day! webpage to learn more about how you can take action any day of the year to defend against censorship.
by Christina Oster