Banned Books: Book Bans and Challenges

Censorship By the Numbers

Censorship on the Rise

The unparalleled number of reported book challenges in 2022 nearly doubled the number reported in 2021.

The number of unique titles targeted marked a 38% increase over 2021.

Graph shows 305 titles challenged in 2003; 339 titles challenged in 2021; 223 titles challenged in 2020; 1,858 titles challenged in 2021; 2,571 titles challenged in 2022

Censorship By the Numbers - ala.org/bbooks | #BannedBooksWeek

Reasons for challenges: sexually explicit, obscene, critical race theory, profanity, LGBTQIA, woke, polarizing, pornography, indoctrinating kids, drugs, homophobic or transphobic, nudity, pedophilia, political viewpoint, racially divisive, anti-police, bleak, racist content, occult, totally evil, gender dysphoria, anti-semitic, anti-family, non-traditional values, grooming, abortion, white privilege, triggering, promoted a homosexual lifestyle, developmentally inappropriate, problematic author, not a happy ending, sexualization of women, masturbation, violence, unsafe or causes harm, harmful misinformation, offensive Chinese stereotypes, biased and unbalanced, dangerous and detrimental, promotes racism, hateful, use of derogatory terms for African Americans, progressive liberal agenda, inflammatory.

Censorship By the Numbers - ala.org/bbooks | #BannedBooksWeek

Who Initiates Challenges? 39% Parents; 24% Patrons; 18% Board/Administration; 10% Political/religious groups; 6% Librarians/teachers; 2% Elected Officials; 1% Students

Statistics based on 715 responses

Censorship By the Numbers - ala.org/bbooks | #BannedBooksWeek

Who Initiates Challenges? 30% Parents; 28% Patrons; 17% Political/religious groups; 15% Board/Administration; 3% Librarians/teachers; 3% Elected Officials; 4% Other (Includes non-custodial relatives, nonresidents, community members without library cards

Statistics based on 1,207 cases with known initiators

Censorship By the Numbers - ala.org/bbooks | #BannedBooksWeek

90% of the reported book challenges in 2022 were demands to censor multiple titles.

40% of the reported book challenges sought to remove or restrict more than 100 books at a time.

Where do challenges take place?

In 2022, nearly 51% of the demands to censor books targeted books, programs, displays, and other materials in school libraries and schools; 48% of book challenges targeted materials in public libraries

48% Public Libraries; 41% School Libraries; 10% Schools; 1% Academic/Other

Statistics based on 1,264 cases with known locations.

Censorship By the Numbers - ala.org/bbooks | #BannedBooksWeek

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751 to 1000 bans: Texas

501 to 750 bans: Florida

251 to 500 bans: Tennessee, Pennsylvania

51 to 250 bans: No states

26 to 50 bans: Idaho, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan

11 to 25 bans: New York, Indiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Utah

1-10 bans: Washington, Oregon, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Arkansas, South Carolina, Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, Vermont, Maine

0 bans: 32 states had NO bans