Book Banning Attempts Are at Record Highs

A new report from the American Library Association found that the number of challenged titles increased by 65 percent in 2023

Ella Feldman
Daily Correspondent

March 18, 2024

Book-banning efforts reached the highest level ever documented by the American Library Association (ALA) last year, according to a new report.

In 2023, 4,240 unique titles were targeted for censorship in schools and libraries across the country—a 65 percent increase from 2022.

Book challenges are also becoming increasingly common in public libraries. The number of titles targeted at public libraries rose by 92 percent last year, while school libraries saw an 11 percent increase.

“I wake up every morning hoping this is over,” Emily Drabinski, president of ALA, tells the New York Times’ Alexandra Alter. “What I find striking is that this is still happening, and it’s happening with more intensity.”

The reported numbers represent “only a snapshot” of censorship attempts throughout the year, says the association. The ALA calculates its totals using reports filed by library professionals and book challenges covered in the media. Censorship attempts that don’t fall into these categories are not included.

More:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/book-banning-attempts-are-at-record-highs-180983964/