On April 20, 2026, the American Library Association released data and statistics about book bans in the United States in 2025, showing that threats to intellectual freedom continued and censorship rebounded to near-record levels.
The Data
4,235 unique book titles were targeted for censorship in 2025, a sharp increase from 2024's 2,452 titles and just five shy of 2023's record-shattering 4,240 titles. Prior to 2020, an average of 273 unique titles were challenged each year.
ALA documented 713 total demands to censor library books and resources in 2025.
0
Unique titles targeted in 2025
0
Demands to censor library materials in 2025
While the data collected since 2020 is unprecedented and alarming, it does not capture the full extent of the censorship crisis. Annual totals compiled by ALA do not reflect the impact of:
Underreporting – Many book challenges are not publicly reported or covered by the press; therefore, ALA’s year-end data only represents a snapshot of censorship in America. 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. This impairs young readers’ freedom to read and the ability of parents to guide their students’ reading free from political or religious interference.
Organized Movements Are Driving Censorship
The 2025 data reported to ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom show that the majority of book censorship attempts continued to originate from organized movements.
Pressure groups and government entities that include elected officials, board members and administrators initiated 92% of demands to censor books in school and public libraries, up from 72% in 2024. Less than 3% of challenges originated from individual parents.
0%
of demands to censor books in schools and public libraries came from pressure groups and government entities.
0%
of demands to censor books in schools and public libraries came from parents.
0%
of demands to censor books in schools and public libraries came from other individuals, including library users, teachers, librarians, and staff.
Top 11 Most Challenged Books
Every year, the American Library Association compiles a list of the books most frequently targeted by censors based on reports from the field and media coverage.
In 2025, ALA documented 5,668 books banned from libraries (66% of the total challenged). An additional 920 books were censored through access restrictions such as relocation or requiring parental permission. This is both the highest number of titles censored in one year and the highest rate of challenges resulting in censorship from 1990–2025.
The most common justifications for censorship provided by complainants were false claims of illegal obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters or themes; and covering topics of race, racism, equity, and social justice.
These were the Top 11 Most Challenged Books of 2025:
1) Sold by Patricia McCormick
2) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
3) Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
4) Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
5) (TIE) Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
5) (TIE) Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
7) A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
8) (TIE) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
8) (TIE) Identical by Ellen Hopkins
8) (TIE) Looking for Alaska by John Green
8) (TIE) Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout
“Today's censorship campaigns are not spontaneous expressions of community concern; they are organized initiatives driven by political actors and well-funded book banning movements."
- Sarah Lamdan, Executive Director, ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom
What can you do about it?
JOIN the campaign. Already signed up? Help a friend or family member join.
REPORT CENSORSHIP. Reporting censorship and challenges to materials, resources, and services is vital to defending library resources and to protect against challenges before they happen.
MAKE A PLAN to attend your library or school board meeting. Most book ban battles are being fought on the local level, and attending these meetings is one of the most critical actions you can take to fend off book bans.
Use the Unite Against Book Bans ACTION TOOLKIT to organize your community against censorship and defend the freedom to read.
SHARE the 2025 statistics on your social networks. See the "Downloads & Shareables" section at the bottom of the page.
``
Data Metholodogy
ALA compiles data on book challenges from reports filed with its Office for Intellectual Freedom by library professionals in the field and from news stories published throughout the United States. Because many book challenges are not reported to the ALA or covered by the press, the 2025 data compiled by ALA represents a snapshot of book censorship throughout 2025. A challenge to a book may be resolved in favor of retaining the book in the collection, or it can result in a book being restricted or withdrawn from the library.
