News and Updates
The New York Public Library Offers Banned Books for All
This week, the New York Public Library is launching its largest anti-censorship initiative to-date: Books for All.
Not Every Book is For Everyone
Penguin Random House creates books for everyone, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Suffice it to say that not every book is for everyone.
Let Freedom Read Day
On October 7, 2023, the Banned Books Week Coalition is asking everyone to take at least one action to help defend books from censorship and to stand up for the library staff, educators, writers, publishers and booksellers who make them available.
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.
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.
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.