September 22-28
Free to Read Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and highlighting the value of free and open access to information. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press. As part of their role as community spaces, public libraries both permit and encourage open and civil discussion of sometimes conflicting ideas.
The library values inclusion, supporting marginalized groups, and does not support banning or hiding books. The library seeks to offer something for everyone in our diverse communities. For more about Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility at the library, visit librarypoint.org/idea, opens a new window.
When books are banned, readers lose access to people, places, and perspectives. But when we stand up for stories, we unleash the power that lies inside every book.
We liberate the array of voices that need to be heard and the scenes that need to be seen. Let freedom read!
Censorship by the Numbers
The who, what, where, and why of censorship. Click each photo to enlarge.
2023's Most Challenged Books
ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 1,247 demands to censor library books and resources in 2023.
The number of titles targeted for censorship surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022, reaching the highest levels ever documented by OIF in more than 20 years of tracking: 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for removal from schools and libraries.
These are most challenged, including reasons cited for challenging the books.
What is the difference between a challenge or a banning?
A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials.
Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.
