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Censorship & Banned Books

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Who Challenges Books?

While in the past most book challenges came from individuals, a recent trend has shown a growing movement that is attempting to remove materials that do not meet their approval, such as books about race, history, gender identity, sexuality, and reproductive health. 

 

According to the American Library Association, the top three initiators of book challenges in 2024 were:

  1. Board/Administration (36%)
  2. Pressure Groups (26%)
  3. Parents (21%)

Illustration of a pie chart that shows who is attempting to censor books in 2024: 36% Board/administration 26% Pressure groups 10% Elected officials/governemnt 16% Parents 7% Other/unknown 4% Patrons 1% Librarians/teachers/staff. Nearly 72% of censorship attempts in 2024 were initiated by pressure groups and decision makers who have been swayed by them. ala.org/bbooks

What Books are Challenged?

The vast majority of challenged books are written by and about People of Color, the LGBTQIA+ community, and members of the Black and Indigenous communities. 

A study by PEN America found that books were banned the most for having:

  1. Sex or sex-related topics or content (57%)
  2. Characters or people of color (44%)
  3. LGBTQIA+ characters or people (39%)

 

Where are Books Challenged?

Book challenges can happen anywhere, but they occur most often in places where children are present, such as public libraries and school libraries. People who seek to ban materials use personal, moral, and religious beliefs to justify protecting children from books they view as being sexually explicit, using offensive language, or unsuitable to any age group.

According to the American Library Association, in 2024, the most challenges of materials happened at:

  1. Public libraries (55%)
  2. School libraries (38%)
  3. Schools (5%)
  4. Higher education or other (2%)

Illustration of where censorship attempts happened in 2024: 55% public libraries 38% school libraries 5% schools 2% higher education / other. Multi-title challenges at schools remained alarmingly expansive in 2024. The trend of attempting to censor materials and services available to entire communities through their public library continued.

 

Banned Books by the Numbers

In 2024, the ALA documented:

  • 821 attempts to censor materials

  • 2452 unique titles challenged

 

 

Number of Unique Titles Challenged By Year. Line graph showing spike in challenges since 2021, with a decrease for 2024. Various factors contributed to the decline in reported censorship attempts in 2024, including legislative pressure, intimidation of library workers, fatigue, and attrition.

In 2024, there was a drop in the number of unique titles challenged for the first time in several years, though nearly 2500 instances were still recorded.

Illustration that shows the proportion of censorship that takes place in libraries based on type of material or resource: 76% Books, graphic novels 6% Hate crimes (Vandalism, theft of materials representing marginalized groups) 6% Displays 3% Programs 3% Access (Library closures, funding, bomb threats) 2% Films 4% Other. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 821 censorship attempts in 2024. Here’s the breakdown.

While the vast majority of challenges are for books and graphic novels (76%), in 2024, the American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom also tracked challenges for other forms of materials. These included displays (6%), programs (3%), films (2%), and other media such as databases, magazines, online resources, artwork, music, student publications, and more (4%). They also recorded censorship attempts that physically blocked access to materials (3%) and vandalized materials representing marginalized groups (6%), which the ALA termed 'hate crimes.'