OIF documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship, as well as 1,247 demands to censor library books, materials, and resources in 2023.
- Pressure groups in 2023 focused on public libraries in addition to targeting school libraries. The number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92% over the previous year, accounting for about 46% of all book challenges in 2023; school libraries saw an 11% increase over 2022 numbers.
- Groups and individuals demanding the censorship of multiple titles, often dozens or hundreds at a time, drove this surge.
- Titles representing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47% of those targeted in censorship attempts.
- There were attempts to censor more than 100 titles in each of these 17 states: Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
- Read the full report
The Lindenhurst Memorial Library stands by the ALA's Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read, and the Freedom to View. Come to the Library to see our display, share why reading matters to you, check out some banned books, and more! We will also be holding a Free to Read Celebration on Thursday, September 26th at 7pm. Register here.
Resources around Book Banning:
- State of America's Libraries 2024
- NYPL Reading Dangerously: Censorship and the Freedom to Read in 20th-Century America
- Banned Books Week
- National Coalition Against Censorship
- ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom: Banned & Challenged Books
- Free For All: New Yorkers for Intellectual Freedom
- Banned and Challenged Books on Hoopla
- The Top 10 Most Challenged Books
