The United States has a long and storied history of banning books. While book bans can come from a desire to protect children from difficult or age-inappropriate material, these bans can also impact the literary representation of various minority communities and limit discussion of difficult subject matter. If you live in a region that has been impacted by book bans, you may find the resources below helpful in accessing diverse literature, understanding the book ban process, advocacy opportunities, and more.
Image Description: A balcony overlooks shelves of books that reach from the floor to the ceiling.
Credit: Alireza Attari / Unsplash
Recent News/Advocacy
- More States Are Passing Book Banning Rules. Here’s What They Say. (NYTimes)
- More than a dozen books are removed from schools statewide in Utah (NPR)
- States begin to push back on book bans – by banning them (CNN)
- Utah bans 13 books in public schools statewide, including Judy Blume and Margaret Atwood titles (ABC News)
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How many book bans were attempted in your state? Use this map to find out (PBS News) - Book Ban Data (ALA)
- Banned in the USA: The Mounting Pressure to Censor (PEN America)
- Banned Books Week (ALA)
- Censorship by the Numbers (ALA)
- Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2023 (ALA)
- Nearly 3,400 Books Were Banned in Iowa (PEN America)
- The State of Book Bans: Wisconsin’s Battle with “Parental Rights” (PEN America)
- Local No Longer: 4 New Laws and Policies Bring Book Banning to the State Level (PEN America)
- Banned Books Research Inquiries (ALA)
- Get Involved: What you can do to fight censorship, keep books available in your libraries, and promote the freedom to read! (ALA)
- So, Your Book Has Been Challenged: A Tip Sheet for Authors (PEN America)
- How to Fight Book Bans: A Tip Sheet for Students (PEN America)
- A Tip Sheet for Librarians Facing Harrassment (PEN America)
- Report A Book Ban (PEN America)
Reading Books in the Face of Book Bans
The links below will connect you to resources I've compiled in the past including free virtual libraries which may help you access books that are difficult to find in your region or will simply give you additional options to your local library.
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