ALA Releases Preliminary 2023 Censorship Data

Censorship attempts rose in public libraries.

Guide to Attending Library and School Board Meetings

Speak out against book bans in your community.

THE FREEDOM TO READ STATEMENT

Adopted June 25, 1953. Renewed June 25, 2023.

News and Updates

Banned and Challenged Books: 2023 Preliminary Data from the American Library Association

ALA releases preliminary 2023 book ban data

September 20, 2023

The American Library Association (ALA) released new preliminary data today documenting the continued rise in censorship attempts in libraries across the U.S. during the first eight months in 2023.

Photo of a group of people on the steps of a government building and holding peace signs.

Everyone is an Organizer

September 19, 2023

Next time you are faced with book bans, remember that you have all that you need to become an organizer and advocate.

Image of Maryland. Text reads "Stand up to Censorship in Carroll County Public Schools!"

Stand up to Censorship in Carroll County Public Schools!

September 12, 2023

Recent actions and policy changes in Carroll County, MD, potentially violate students’ right to access information and undermine the expertise of trained library staff.

Unite Against Book Bans is a national initiative to empower readers everywhere to stand together in the fight against censorship.

We are not alone. On both sides of the aisle, large majorities of voters and parents oppose book bans.

%

of voters oppose efforts to remove books from public libraries.

%

of voters oppose efforts to remove books from school libraries.

Full poll results and key findings available via the American Library Association.

And yet, attempts to ban books from libraries continue to rise at an unprecedented level across the country. The American Library Association reported 1,269 attempts to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago.

Book bans harm communities.

Students cannot access critical information to help them understand themselves and the world around them. Parents lose the opportunity to engage in teachable moments with their kids. And communities lose the opportunity to learn and build mutual understanding.

Although book bans are nothing new, there were more censorship attempts in 2022 than at any time since the American Library Association began tracking more than two decades ago.

Illustration of a child looking at a gap in a bookshelf

If you believe...

  • Books are tools for understanding complex issues.
  • Young people deserve to see themselves reflected in a library’s books.
  • Parents should not be making decisions for other parents’ children.
  • Individuals should be trusted to make their own decisions about what to read.
  • Limiting young people’s access to books does not protect them from life’s complex and challenging issues.
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Empowered by Reading

There are many important benefits of providing children and youth with a wide variety of developmentally appropriate reading materials - books which reflect their personal life experiences, as well a the experiences, stories, and histories of others in and beyond their communities.

Action Toolkit

Take a stand against book bans. Check out the UABB action toolkit and defend the right to read in your community.

Become a Partner

We can't defeat book bans alone. Unite with us as an organizational partner, and together we'll work to defeat censorship.

Merch Against Book Bans

Show the world that you unite against book bans with our official UABB apparel and totes, available in the ALA Graphics Store. All purchases support the Unite Against Book Bans campaign and our efforts to fight censorship.

This campaign is organized by the American Library Association and was launched with the generous support of the Steve & Loree Potash Family Foundation and the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Help us continue the fight against censorship. Your donation supports our efforts to defend the freedom to read for all Americans.

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