It's Banned Books Week, and the American Library Association (ALA) has released new preliminary data today documenting attempts to censor books and materials in public, school, and academic libraries across the U.S. during the first eight months in 2024.
Between January 1 and August 31, 2024, ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 414 attempts to censor library materials and services and documented challenges to 1,128 unique titles. While those numbers are lower than last year's record shattering figures, they are still much higher than the numbers prior to 2020.
In particular, ALA noted the effect of "soft censorship" on this year's data, where books are purchased but placed in restricted areas, not used in library displays, or otherwise hidden or kept off limits due to fear of challenges. According to ALA, these include circumstances where books have been preemptively excluded from library collections, taken off the shelves before they are banned, or not purchased for library collections in the first place. Simply put, censorship is already happening before challenges to books and services can take place because of the fear of challenges being brought.
“As these preliminary numbers show, we must continue to stand up for libraries and challenge censorship wherever it occurs,” said American Library Association President Cindy Hohl. “We know library professionals throughout the country are committed to preserving our freedom to choose what we read and what our children read, even though many librarians face criticism and threats to their livelihood and safety. We urge everyone to join librarians in defending the freedom to read. We know people don’t like being told what they are allowed to read, and we’ve seen communities come together to fight back and protect their libraries and schools from the censors.”
What else is driving the slowdown in censorship? Success in the courts pushing back on unconstitutional legislation and the efforts of advocates across the country
ALA notes that while several states have passed legislation to restrict access to school and public library materials, lawsuits challenging those laws have been successful in overturning them and restoring our essential freedoms. In Arkansas, for instance, Act 372 opened the door to criminalizing librarians and bookstore owners unless they removed materials deemed harmful to minors, and allowed citizens to challenge library books based on "appropriateness." The Freedom to Read Foundation—a nonprofit legal affiliate with ALA and Unite Against Book Bans partner—joined with Arkansas libraries, library workers, and advocates to fight Arkansas Act 372 and secured a preliminary injunction, and they continue to fight the legal battle to permanently stop it from being enforced.
Local advocates have also been critical in defending the freedom to read. At the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District in New Jersey, librarian Martha Hickson worked with local advocates to successfully defeat efforts to remove numerous titles from the school's shelves, including Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human (A Graphic Novel) by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan. And in Tennessee, student Julia Garnett fought book bans and advocated for student representation on book review committees. Garnett was honored by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden for her efforts to defend the freedom to read, and is serving as the Youth Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week this year.
“All of these librarians, community members, students, plaintiffs, and educators demonstrate how we can all stem the tide of censorship by quietly, courageously taking action in our communities,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. “These successes are a sign that our work is making a difference and must continue in order to continue to drive the decrease in documented censorship attempts. We cannot rest. The fight to defend our rights is one we can never relinquish.”
You can read the full report on ALA’s website. And help us spread the word by sharing these graphics (click to enlarge and download):
