LIBRARIES PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS
Libraries have always been more than bookshelves—they’re champions of free expression, defenders of privacy, and guardians of our right to read. With censorship on the rise and personal freedoms under attack, protecting libraries has never been more important. Libraries across the country are facing an unprecedented wave of censorship attempts, with many targeted books highlighting the voices and experiences of Black, Indigenous, People of Color and LGBTQIA+ people.
4,240
unique titles were challenged in 2023, nearly doubling the previous record.
NEARLY HALF
of all challenged books feature LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC voices, according to the ALA.
92%
was the increase in censorship efforts in public libraries in 2023.
LIBRARIES: THE HEART OF FREE EXPRESSION
This isn’t just about books. It’s about erasing identities, silencing perspectives, and limiting access to knowledge. As Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, puts it, “The reports from librarians and educators make it clear that the organized campaigns to ban books aren’t over. We must all stand together to preserve our right to choose what we read.”
In an era of data tracking and privacy concerns, libraries ensure that what you read, research, and explore remains your business—no one else’s. Protecting privacy means protecting intellectual freedom, allowing people to learn without fear of scrutiny or consequences.
Libraries are essential spaces for knowledge, discovery, and refuge. They provide the tools we need to learn, grow, and shape our own perspectives. But they need our help to keep doing that. The current wave of censorship is a real threat.
From the Field
Book challenges and bans are on the rise at libraries across America, but local residents are organizing to fight back. On October 19, more than 175 events took place across the country in observation of the first-ever Freedom to Read Community Day of Action—a massive and inspiring outpouring of support for this fundamental right.
The effort was spearheaded by the Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, and Queens Public Library, with national partners the American Library Association, Association for Rural & Small Libraries, and Unite Against Book Bans. By organizing together, these partners made an expansive suite of event planning, community outreach, and promotional resources freely available to libraries, bookstores, and other community organizations to support their participation. Organizations in 43 states and the District of Columbia signed up through Unite Against Book Bans to join this historic day of action.
“Censorship by the Numbers,” American Library Association, April 20, 2023.
FOR OUR LIBRARIES
Libraries and library workers are on the front lines in the fight to defend our freedom to read, and it’s on all of us to show up and support them as they battle attempts to censor or ban books and face unprecedented threats of harassment for simply doing their jobs. The American Library Association provides robust support for libraries and library workers fighting censorhip across the U.S., but we need your help. When you become a supporter of the ALA, you help fund our efforts to advocate for the freedom to read, support library workers and allies on the ground, and provide resources to defend books from censorship.
