Banned Books Week Press Kit
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The °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) tracks attempts to ban or restrict access to books across the United States and to inform the public about censorship efforts in our libraries and schools.
In 2023, OIF documented , the highest number of attempted book bans since °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for censorship in 2023, a 65% increase compared to 2022 numbers. Read the full announcement.
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.
Banned Books Week (September 22-28, 2024) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. It brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.
Media Contacts:
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Media interested in scheduling interviews with °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ spokespersons may contact the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Communications, Marketing & Media Relations Office, cmomedia@ala.org.
Press Releases
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Sep 23: °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ reveals preliminary data on 2024 book challenges
Sep 11: Filmmaker Ava DuVernay To Lead Banned Books Week As Honorary Chair
Mar 14: °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ reports record number of unique book titles challenged in 2023
Feb 20: Unite Against Book Bans Announces a Free Book Résumé Resource
Resources
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Frequently Challenged Books Archive
- an umbrella website to share resources and promote Banned Books Week events for all the sponsors
Yearly Field Reports for Most Frequently Challenged Books
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Each year, °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±ÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ releases an annual report that examines attempts to curtail the freedom to read, offering more information about censorship attacks on the Top 10 Most Challenged Books, as well as details on additional frequently challenged titles.
The current report, now called The Book Report, can be found .
- Field Report 2022: Banned and Challenged Books (PDF)
- Field Report 2021: Banned and Challenged Books (PDF)
- Field Report 2020: Banned and Challenged Books (PDF)
- Field Report 2019: Banned and Challenged Books (PDF)
The current report will be made available on this page at a future date. Press can request an embargoed copy for reporting purposes by emailing oif@ala.org.
