NEWS AND UPDATES
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is calling on intellectual freedom advocates to host a Right to Read Night during Banned Books Week (Oct. 5–11), featuring Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. Whether you’re a seasoned organizer or just starting out, NCAC’s new guide has everything you need to join this nationwide movement.
New Teacher Survey from NCTE Details Classroom Book Censorship
Even for those following the current wave of book censorship, it has been difficult to understand what today’s educators are facing in the classroom. To address this gap, NCTE just released survey data from nearly 4,100 teachers from all 50 states.
Raising Our Voices for Change: The New Everyday Advocacy Playbook
Everyday Advocacy is something teachers, librarians, and community members can do in their local settings to reset the story of education. It includes including day-to-day actions you can take to change the public narrative surrounding schools and books. The new Everyday Advocacy Playbook is our latest resource— a hands-on guide designed specifically for educators who are ready to grow in their roles as Everyday Advocates.
Speaking Out Against Censorship at Banned Books from the Big Chair
At the ALA Annual Conference in June, Sage sponsored Banned Books from the Big Chair in partnership with the Banned Books Coalition and Unite Against Book Bans. Librarians, authors, and educators walked through a thought-provoking exhibit on the impact of book bans in the United States, then shared personal experiences with book bans from the Big Chair.
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 1,247 attempts to censor library books and resources in 2023, primarily driven by efforts of pressure groups to censor multiple titles at a time in public and school libraries.
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, they continue to happen at an alarming and unprecedented rate.
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.