Let Freedom Read: Banned Books Week 2023

American public and school libraries are facing a book-banning crisis. The number of attempts to ban books has skyrocketed recently, with projected data showing 2023 as a record-breaking year for attempts at censorship. To begin the discussion on even footing, here are key terms and their definitions: 

1. Challenge: an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group
2. Banning: a successful challenge that leads to a title being restricted or withdrawn
3. Censorship: a change in the access status of material, based on the content of the work and made by a governing authority or its representatives.

It is important to note that expressing one's opinion about a book title is not a challenge. Attempting to have it removed from the curriculum or library, restricted to certain groups, etc., makes it a challenge.  

Making up thirty percent of challenges, parents have historically led the charge to ban books in American libraries. The top three cited reasons for challenging library materials are:

1. "Sexually explicit" material or "inappropriate" sexual content--often assigned to LGBTQIA+ books
2. "Offensive language"--often assigned to books discussing race and diversity 
3. The material was "unsuited to any age group"

We have included a breakdown of 2022 censorship statistics from the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom below. What stands out to you?