Banned Books

Books were being banned in countries across the world long before the first public libraries appeared in parts of America. Typically, books were banned on moral, religious, or political grounds. They were believed to be obscene or too controversial to be read by society. Although we usually think of classics like George Orwell’s 1984 when referring to books that were banned, there are still many books being challenged and censored every year. Books that explore race, sexuality, and new concepts and ideas are still often prohibited by certain communities, although they can easily be purchased in most bookstores. Even Pulitzer Prize winning books like Art Spiegelman’s Maus, world-wide bestsellers like Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and household staples like Harry Potter have recently been challenged and restricted. Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. For 40 years, the annual event has brought together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. In a time of intense political polarization, library staff in every state are facing an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 729 challenges to library, school and university materials and services in 2021, resulting in more than 1,597 individual book challenges or removals. Most targeted books were by or about Black or LGBTQIA persons. Sharing stories important to us means sharing a part of ourselves. Books reach across boundaries and build connections between readers. Censorship, on the other hand, creates barriers. Banned Books Week is both a reminder of the unifying power of stories and the divisiveness of censorship, and a call to action for readers across the country to push back against censorship attempts in their communities.