banned books research paper

Researching Banned or Challenged Books: Resources for Challenge Research

• Resources for Challenge Research
• Was Winnie the Pooh Banned?

Key Resource

The key resource for researching why a particular title was challenged or banned are the publications of ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom.  The Office maintains information on which books are challenged and why and regularly publishes this information in the Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy , where there may also be discussion of the events surrounding a challenge, and in a compilation published about every three years, most recently in Banned Books: Defending our Freedom to Read , edited by Robert P. Doyle. (Before 2016, similar information was in the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom.)

Doyle and others used histories of censorship to compile the initial listing of challenged or banned books; this bibliography is in the Guide , as well as included on a list of books on censorship maintained by the ALA Library.

More recent entries are derived from the Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy or Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom.

This publication is available in many libraries around the country, or may be ordered from the ALA Store..

• Books on Censorship Bibliography supporting research on censorship, banned and challenged books, and intellectual freedom. For researching why a particular book has been challenged, we recommend the Banned Books Resource Guide, which is represented on this list by the most recent editions, as well as the entry for the serial comprised of all the editions.
• Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy The official journal of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). JIFP is a double-blind peer reviewed publication, topically focused on practical, moral, ethical, philosophical, and theoretical issues of intellectual freedom and informational privacy within the United States and globally. Published quarterly. more... less... Two most current issues are available by subscription only. Older issues are made available via open access at the link above. ISSN 2474-7459
• Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom Superceded by the Journal Of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy. The Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom was the only journal that reported attempts to remove materials from school and library shelves across the country. The NIF was the source for the latest information on intellectual freedom issues.

Additional ALA Resources

The Banned Books Week pages on the ALA website offer many ways to look at the challenge data that has been collection.  The links provided here will be of use to students doing research.

• Challenged Classics (with reasons) The classics in the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th century, with challenge reports from the 2010 edition of "Banned Books."
• Frequently Challenged Books Most current top ten, with links to statistical analyses and subsets.
• Mapping Censorship This map is drawn from cases documented by ALA and the Kids' Right to Read Project, a collaboration of the National Coalition Against Censorship and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. Details are available in ALA's "Books Banned and Challenged 2007-2008; 2008-2009; 2009-2010; 2010-2011; 2011-2012; and 2012-2013," and the "Kids' Right to Read Project Report." “Mapping Censorship” was created by Chris Peterson of the National Coalition Against Censorship and Alita Edelman of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression.
• Read Banned Books YouTube Channel Videos of Virtual Read-Outs and other videos from ALA OIF.
• Timeline: 30 Years of Librerating :Literature Since 1982, Banned Books Week has rallied librarians, booksellers, authors, publishers, teachers, and readers of all types to celebrate and defend the freedom to read. To commemorate 30 years of Banned Books Week and enter our 31st year of protecting readers' rights, ALA prepared l this timeline of significant banned and challenged books. Timeline powered by Tiki-Toki.

Where else to look....

If your library does not have "Banned Books," use the library catalog to locate books on censorship.  Useful subject headings are "Challenged books--United States" or "Censorship--United States."

Many libraries offer databases enabling access to periodicals and newspapers. Ask your librarian about accessing these--or visit your library's website, library card in hand, to access.

Use newspaper indexes such as the following to read coverage of book challenges in the communities where they occurred.

• LexisNexis - Full-text access to magazines and newspapers, including the New York Times.
• NewsBank - Full-text articles from major metropolitan newspapers.
• ProQuest Historical Newspapers™ - Digital archive offering full-text and full-image articles for significant newspapers dating back to the eighteenth century.

Use literature databases such as the following to seek out biographies of authors, book synopses, bibliographies, and critical analysis.

• Booklist Online - Reviews, awards information, some author information in editorial content
• Gale Literature Resource Center - Has full-text articles and book reviews, biographical essays.
• Library and Information Science Source - Full-text and indexed entries from library science literature, including major review sources
• NovelList - Includes reviews and reading recommendations, reading levels, summaries, and awards books have received.

Often, a general web search of < "[book title]" and (banned or challenged) > will yield up useful articles and blog posts about challenges.  For example, < "looking for alaska" (banned or challenged) > will bring up newspaper coverage--as well as a video by the author--on the censorship challenges faced by Looking for Alaska , by John Green.

Other websites

• Banned Books that Shaped America The Library of Congress created an exhibit, "Books that Shaped America," that explores books that "have had a profound effect on American life." Below is a list of books from that exhibit that have been banned/challenged.
• Banned Books Week The Banned Books Week Coalition is a national alliance of diverse organizations joined by a commitment to increase awareness of the annual celebration of the freedom to read. The Coalition seeks to engage various communities and inspire participation in Banned Books Week through education, advocacy, and the creation of programming about the problem of book censorship.
• Books Challenged or Banned in 2014-2015 A bibliography representing books challenged, restricted, removed, or banned in 2014 and 2015 as reported in the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom from May 2014 to March 2015 and in American Libraries Direct (AL Direct), by Robert P. Doyle.
• National Coalition Against Censorship Resources for School Teachers and Students Background on the legal and practical questions surrounding school censorship controversies.
• NCTE Intellectual Freedom Center Censorship Challenge Reports Teachers, librarians, school administrators, and parents call upon NCTE for advice and materials regarding censorship challenges in their schools or districts.
• University of Pennsylvania Library "Banned Books Online" A special exhibit of books that have been the objects of censorship or censorship attempts, linking to free e-books.
• Wikipedia's "List of books banned by governments" Tabular listing, alphabetical by title, of books banned by governments, worldwide.
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• Next: Was Winnie the Pooh Banned? >>
• Last Updated: Mar 14, 2024 10:24 AM
• URL: https://libguides.ala.org/Researchingchallengedbooks

Morris Library

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Banned Books: Protect Your Freedom to Read

• Protect Your Freedom to Read
• The Banned Book Collection in Morris

Banned Books Week is celebrated annually, with sponsorship from the American Library Association (ALA), the National Association of College Stores, and many other organizations. According to the ALA, "Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States."

A Worrisome Trend

ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. The unparalleled number of reported book challenges in 2022 nearly doubles the 729 book challenges reported in 2021. Censors targeted a record 2,571 unique titles in 2022 , a 38% increase from the 1,858 unique titles targeted for censorship in 2021. Of those titles, the vast majority were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community or by and about Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color.

• Censorship by the Numbers Resources documenting the number and locations of censorship attempts against libraries and materials compiled by ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom.
• Book Ban Data, ALA Latest numbers from ALA about book bans and challenges in the United States, including preliminary data from the first half of 2023. TL;DR: They're up. A lot.
• Banned and Challenged Books ALA's page devoted to censorship attempts and the annual Banned Books Week celebration.
• Book Bans, PEN America Resources and commentary related to book bans in the U.S., including a comprehensive list of successful school bans, assembled by a national writer's association.
• Ralph E. McCoy Collection of the Freedom of the Press Housed in the Special Collections Research Center on the first floor of Morris Library, the McCoy Collection offers the opportunity to explore issues of censorship and freedom of expression from a historical perspective. It is one of the world's best collections of rare books highlighting the history of First Amendment freedoms. It includes examples of many books that have been banned in the United States and Europe over the centuries. Many of the books listed below part of this collection. more... less... used in Overview of African American history collections in SCRC on Resources for the Study of African American History in Southern Illinois: Overview of Special Collections
• Beacon for Freedom of Expression The Beacon for Freedom project maintains an extensive database of censored publications and publications about censorship.

Banned Books Club and Books Unbanned

The Banned Books Club is a collaboration between libraries and sponsors to make banned books available online and at libraries for free. The University of Chicago and the Digital Public Library of America are offering free access to all Illinois residents through the Palace app.

• Banned Book Club Program to provide free access to electronic copies of banned books. Follow the steps to "Access Banned Books" to get your free card and start reading.
• Banned Books Club at the Palace Project Jump straight to the app the Banned Book Club uses to provide access to available titles.

A number of public libraries nationwide have joined the Books Unbanned initiative, offering free access to commonly challenged or banned titles in eBook form to readers age 13-26. If you fall in that age bracket, sign up for a free temporary library card and read banned books!

• Boston Public Library Books Unbanned Program
• Brooklyn Public Library Books Unbanned Program
• Seattle Public Library Books Unbanned Program

Top Ten Challenged Books from the Last Five Years

Banned in 2021 - 2022

According to PEN America, 1,636 different books were banned—not only challenged, but actually removed from shelves—in classrooms, schools, or libraries in the U.S. for at least a portion of the time between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. The following is a list of these banned titles available through Morris Library.

• Next: The Banned Book Collection in Morris >>
• Last Updated: Feb 22, 2024 11:55 AM
• URL: https://libguides.lib.siu.edu/bannedbooks

ALA User Menu

• ALA Websites

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Banned Books Research Inquiries

• Share This Page

Often times ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) receives requests from students and researchers for information about specific banned and challenged books. Part of our mission at OIF is to provide support to library workers and teachers who report censorship . Due to the confidential nature of many of those situations, we are limited to providing only publicly available information. 

• To purchase:  Copies are available through the ALA Store to purchase for $15.  
• In libraries: Check with your local public, school, or university libraries if you have access to a copy in their collections.  
• Digitally:  Available to ALA Members. Login required.
• 2020:  This digital download is available through the ALA Store to purchase for $29.
• 2020: A pack of 50 physical copies are available through the ALA Store to purchase for $35.
• 2004-2019: PDFs are available digitally on ALA's website.  

Students may contact OIF ( [email protected] ) to request information on books that are not listed in these resources. It may take 3-5 days for staff to respond to your request. 

A note about our research

The information in these resources is compiled from news reports, individuals, libraries, schools, and other organizations about challenges to materials and services. OIF does not always track the progress or eventual outcome of each censorship attempt reported to it nor can it assure that data items are consistent across each report. In addition, not every challenge is reported to OIF. As a result, the information that we maintain is a snapshot of requests to remove or restrict materials from libraries and classrooms and is not a complete or exhaustive source of data on such activities. OIF maintains the database for internal staff use, as a means of encouraging libraries to report challenges, and to create awareness of the importance of protecting and celebrating the freedom to read. Because the censorship database does not have the statistical validity demanded by many social scientists and researchers and may be vulnerable to misinterpretation and misuse, we must deny any request asking OIF to share raw data.

• Harvard Library
• Research Guides
• Harvard Graduate School of Education - Gutman Library

Banned Books

• What is a Banned Book?
• History of Book Banning
• Banned and Challenged Books
• The Role of ChatGPT in Book Banning and Censorship
• Get Involved! Further Resources to Fight Book Bans

Books have been banned or challenged throughout history and this trend continues today. A banned book is a book that may be:

• Removed from a library or libraries
• Not allowed to be published
• Not allowed to enter a country 
• Not allowed to exist, or be physically destroyed such as the case of book burning during Nazi Germany
• The most extreme form of banning is the death or demand for the death of the author, most recently with Salman Rushdie

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials based upon the objections of a person or a group thereby restricting the access of others.

A banning is the removal of those materials that have been challenged and that challenge has succeeded.

• Next: History of Book Banning >>
• Last Updated: Sep 18, 2023 4:29 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/c.php?g=1269000

Harvard University Digital Accessibility Policy

Banned Books 2023: Let Freedom Read: Home

Celebrate Banned Books Week - October 1-7, 2023

Why Banned Books Week?

• Statement from the American Library Association
• Definitions

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Highlighting the value of free and open access to information, Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek, to publish, to read, and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read.  –-  Banned Books Week Q&A

Book Challenge vs. Book Ban

An attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. 

Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. 

A book banning is the actual removal of those materials . 

A change in the access status of material, based on the content of the work and made by a governing authority or its representatives. Such changes include exclusion, restriction, removal, or age/grade level changes.

Intellectual Freedom

The right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored.

Read Banned Books @ St. Kate's Library

My Sister's Keeper

The Qur'an [al-Quran al-hakim]

The Hunger Games

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

In the Night Kitchen

Intellectual Freedom Issues in School Libraries

Intellectual Freedom Manual

Intellectual Freedom Stories from a Shifting Landscape

It's Perfectly Normal

The Kite Runner

Looking for Alaska

Maus I: a Survivor's Tale

Me and Earl and the dying girl

Melissa (formerly Published As GEORGE)

The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version, Catholic edition

Nasreen's Secret School

Of Mice and Men

Out of Darkness

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Skippyjon Jones

Slaughterhouse-Five

Something Happened in Our Town

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

This book is gay

To Kill a Mockingbird

A Universal History of the Destruction of Books

Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets

The 1619 Project

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Collector's Edition

All American Boys

All Boys Aren't Blue

Almost Perfect

And Tango Makes Three

The Annotated Huckleberry Finn

Banned books: defending our freedom to read

Beyond Banned Books

Beyond Magenta

The Bluest Eye

Book Banning in 21St-Century America

Books under Fire

Brave New World

100 Banned Books

A Court of Mist and Fury

The Color Purple

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Dear Martin

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo

Dreaming in Cuban

Felix Ever After

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Gender Queer: a Memoir

The Glass Castle

His Dark Materials: the Golden Compass (Book 1)

The Handmaid's Tale

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

The Hate U Give

A History of ALA Policy on Intellectual Freedom

A year in review.

• More Than 4,000 Unique Titles Challenged: ALA Releases 2023 Censorship Data From Unite Against Book Bans, March 14, 2024
• Spineless Shelves: Two Years of Book Banning PEN America - December 2023
• I Made the Most Banned Book in America The Nib - September 1, 2023
• State Laws Supercharge Book Suppression in Schools PEN America - April 20, 2023
• American Library Association releases preliminary data on 2022 book bans ALANews & Press Center - Sept. 16, 2022
• Banned in the USA: The Growing Movement to Censor Books in Schools PEN America
• Book banning in U.S. schools has reached an all-time high: What this means, and how we got here GRID - Aug. 27, 2022

Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022

Book Bans in the News

• Red states threaten librarians with prison — as blue states work to protect them Washington Post, 4/16/24
• Florida law led school district to pull 1,600 books — including dictionaries Washington Post, 1/14/24
• The Post reviewed 1,000 school book challenges. Here’s what we found. Washington Post, 12/23/23
• Publishing industry heavy-hitters sue Iowa over state's new school book-banning law Washington Post, 11/30/23
• 'To Be Destroyed': Documentary examines Rapid City's attempted book ban Rapid City Journal, 10/26/23
• North Carolina Retracts Ban on Banned Books Week The Guardian - September 30, 2023
• Senate Hearing Discusses Book Bans The Hill - September 12, 2023
• Public Libraries are the Latest Front in Culture War Battle Over Books Washington Post - July 25, 2023
• Florida Readers Push Back Against Book Bans WUSF Public Media - June 10, 2023

Guide Feedback

• Guide feedback We welcome your feedback! Use this form to suggest changes/additions to this guide.

Censorship and Book Challenges by the Numbers

• Who Challenges
• For What Reason(s)
• Mapping Censorship

From the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom

• During the first half of the 2022-23 school year PEN America’s  Index of School Book Bans  lists 1,477 instances of individual books banned, affecting 874 unique titles ,  an increase of 28 percent compared to the prior six months, January – June 2022. That is more instances of book banning than recorded in either the first or second half of the 2021-22 school year.  Over this six-month timeline, the total instances of book bans affected over 800 titles;  this equates to over 100 titles removed from student access each month.
• Overwhelmingly, book banners continue to target stories by and about people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.  In this six-month period, 30% of the unique titles banned are books about race, racism, or feature characters of color. Meanwhile, 26% of unique titles banned have LGBTQ+ characters or themes
• The full impact of the book ban movement is greater than can be counted, as “wholesale bans” are restricting access to untold numbers of books in classrooms and school libraries.  This school year, numerous states enacted “wholesale bans” in which entire classrooms and school libraries have been suspended, closed, or emptied of books, either permanently or temporarily. This is largely because teachers and librarians in several states have been directed to catalog entire collections for public scrutiny within short timeframes, under threat of punishment from new, vague laws. These “wholesale bans,” have involved the culling of books that were previously available to students, in ways that are impossible to track or quantify.

The most common themes in book challenges include:

• Books that have to do with LGBTQ topics or characters.
• Books that have to do with sex, abortion, teen pregnancy or puberty.
• Books that have to do with race and racism, or that center on protagonists of color.
• Books that have to do with history, specifically that of Black people.
• EveryLibrary Institute Dr. Tasslyn Magnusson is an independent researcher focused on the networks, organizations, and individual actors who are leading book banning and book challenge efforts in our nation's school libraries and public libraries. Dr. Magnusson's spreadsheet of book bans and challenges has been available online since October 2021 to aid library organizations, library staff, education stakeholders, and concerned parents. Her findings have helped numerous school libraries and public libraries.
• Youth Censorship Database The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) database of K-12 student censorship incidents includes book challenges in schools and libraries, as well as censorship of student art, journalism, and other types of student expression in schools. The map can be filtered based on Reason, State, and other options, along with additional information and links to incident reports.

Freedom to Read Statement

Seventy years ago, leaders from across the literary world joined together in writing to condemn attacks on free expression. The statement at the heart of that endeavor, the Freedom to Read Statement ,was authored by the American Library Association and Association of American Publishers over a period of several days. It begins with this timeless observation:

The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack.     

Read the full Freedom to Read Statement.

From Unite Against Book Bans, 2023

The Fiery History of Banned Books Week

Advocacy and Activism around Banned Books

Whether by providing legal support, educational resources for parents, teachers, and librarians, or opportunities to organize on the grassroots level, there are many organizations which fight against efforts to ban books in school libraries and beyond, and many more which fight censorship more broadly.

Learn more about some of these organizations, and/or get involved, below:

• How to Fight Book Bans: A Tip Sheet for Students From PEN America
• American Library Association, Fight Censorship
• National Coalition Against Censorship & Unite Against Book Bans
• Freedom to Read Foundation
• Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF)
• PEN America, Book Bans
• Book Ban Busters

Book Ban News in Minnesota

• ‘Ban on book bans’ introduced in Minnesota Legislature MPR, 3/21/24
• St. Cloud Library System Tackles Record Number of Requests to Ban, Move Books Minneapolis Star Tribune - November 25, 2023
• Book Ban Attempts on the Rise in Minnesota Schools MPR News - October 12, 2023
• Carver Library Board Declines to Remove 'Gender Queer' From Shelves MPR News - September 12, 2023
• Community Members Challenge Books at Forestview Library Brainerd Dispatch - June 15, 2023
• Gov. Tim Walz Opens 'Little Library' to Fight Book Bans Now This News - March 23, 2023
• Minnesota and the Unbanned Book List Star Tribune - February 14, 2023
• Last Updated: Apr 19, 2024 10:03 AM
• URL: https://libguides.stkate.edu/BBW2023

©2024 St. Catherine University Library , St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Banned Books: Freedom to Read

• Read Banned Books
• Banned Books Week
• Most Challenged Books

Data & Reports on Book Bans & Challenges

Censorship by the numbers infographic (american library association).

• Get Involved
• Public Library Access
• USC Libraries Help
• Banned in the USA: State Laws Supercharge Book Suppression in Schools (Pen America, 2023) Update on Book Bans in the 2022-2023 School Year Shows Expanded Censorship of Themes Centered on Race, History, Sexual Orientation and Gender.
• Banned in the USA: The Mounting Pressure to Censor (Pen America, 2023) In the 2022–23 school year, from July 1, 2022, to June 31, 2023, PEN America recorded 3,362 instances of book bans in US public school classrooms and libraries. These bans removed student access to 1,557 unique book titles, the works of over 1,480 authors, illustrators, and translators. Authors whose books are targeted are most frequently female, people of color, and/or LGBTQ+ individuals.
• Book Ban Data (American Library Association) Preliminary data documenting a continued uptick in attempts to censor books, materials, and services across public, school, and academic libraries in the United States during the first part of 2023
• Censorship by the Numbers (American Library Association) 2022 data compiled by ALA represents a snapshot of book censorship throughout 2022.
• Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022 (American Library Association) This page lists the 13 most challenged books of 2023 and what each book was challenged for. ALA documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago.

• << Previous: Most Challenged Books
• Next: Get Involved >>
• Last Updated: Mar 5, 2024 2:27 PM
• URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/bannedbooks

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Banned and Challenged Books

• Banned Books Week
• Intellectual Freedom and Censorship
• Suggested Reading
• Websites and Resources
• Local Public Library Access to Challenged Books
• Media Coverage

Welcome to the Banned and Challenged Books research guide. This guide provides an overview and resources related to banned and challenged books.

What is censorship   (content from the  american library association website ).

Censorship is the suppression of ideas and information that some individuals, groups, or government officials find objectionable or dangerous.  Would-be censors try to use the power of the state to impose their view of what is truthful and appropriate, or offensive and objectionable, on everyone else. Censors pressure public institutions, like libraries, to suppress and remove information they judge inappropriate or dangerous from public access, so that no one else has the chance to read or view the material and make up their own minds about it. The censor wants to prejudge materials for everyone.  It is no more complicated than someone saying, “Don’t let anyone read this book, or buy that magazine, or view that film, because I object to it!”

“Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.”  — Article 3,  Library Bill of Rights

What is a banned book?

The American Library Association (ALA) defines a banned book as a book that has been removed from the shelf of a library or school.

What is a challenged book?

According to ALA, a challenged book is a book that a person, group, or authority thinks should be removed, but is still on a library or school's shelves.

ALA has a helpful list of frequently asked questions about banned books and lists of frequently challenged books which can be accessed  here.

The History of Banned Books

From Smithsonian Magazine :  "How America’s First Banned Book Survived and Became an Anti-Authoritarian Icon"

From Reading Partners:  "The little-known history of banned books in the United States"

From National Council of Teachers of English:  "A look back at the history of banned book week"

• Next: Banned Books Week >>
• Last Updated: Oct 4, 2023 3:26 PM
• URL: https://wagner.libguides.com/bannedbooks

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How Book Bans Impact Educators and Students

First Book Research & Insights study reveals how educators and their students are responding to book bans.

New Study Reveals the Damaging Impact Book Bans Have on Teacher Morale and Student Learning

One-third of educators surveyed are facing book bans, challenges, or policy restrictions..

About the Study

To understand the impact that the national conversation around banned books is having on educators’ ability to teach and students’ ability to learn, Research & Insights surveyed educators in the First Book Network.

While the majority of educators that responded to this survey have not been required to remove books from their classroom libraries, this study revealed that the conversation about book bans and book challenges is having a chilling effect on educators and students beyond the districts that have experienced book bans:

• 46% of educators report that the conversation around banned books already does or might influence the titles they choose for their class.
• 37% of educators report that the conversation around banned books already does or might influence the way they teach.
• 63% of educators report that the current conversation around banned books is impacting their teaching to some degree.

This study reveals that the conversation and actions to ban and/or censor books in schools, libraries, and programs are having a negative impact on educators’ ability to teach and students’ ability to learn — and these negative impacts reach far beyond just the districts that are facing bans. In addition, the book banning efforts are yet another example of decisions being made that impact or restrict what happens in classrooms without opportunities for educator voices to be considered in the decision process. This may further undermine educator expertise and erode educator morale.

To learn more about how the study was conducted click below:

Key findings, a survey of more than 1,500 educators on the national conversation around book challenges and bans is negatively impacting their classrooms, profession, and student learning..

• 7% of educators have removed books from their classroom or program library due to book bans or challenges; more than twice that indicate they have removed books for other reasons.
• 87% of educators surveyed believe book bans are rarely or never justified.
• 65% of educators said that the banning of books is having a negative impact on their ability to teach.
• 71% of educators, regardless of whether their district has faced bans, believe book banning undermines their expertise, makes them feel distrusted, and increases their stress.
• Nearly two-thirds of educators said that book banning is having a negative impact on their ability to teach.

Encouraging freedom of choice and discussing banned books with students positively influences their willingness to initiate discussions about banned books and enhances their engagement in reading.

• Just over 40% of educators indicated that they are having conversations with their students about banned books.
• 31% of educators reported that students are initiating these conversations.
• 78% of educators indicated that students are reading more when banned books are available as an option.
• 72% of educators indicated that restricting access to certain books decreases students’ engagement in reading.

To view the full report, including additional data and comments from educators, click below:

Conversations on the Impact of Diverse and Banned Books in the Classroom

A first book research & insights webinar.

First Book Research & Insights hosted a well-attended webinar event to share results from their Diverse Books Impact Study and Banned Books Survey.

This data-driven session:

• Featured a discussion about diverse books and how including them in classroom libraries can be beneficial for students and teachers.
• Shed light on why banning certain diverse books can be harmful to the learning process.

Instead of teaching lessons that focused on Banned Book Week this year, my administrator asked me to pivot instruction to the idea of freedom to read. Instead of talking about all of the book banning happening in the US right now, we talked about how students have the freedom to read the books they want. First Book Educator

New First Book Study Tackles National Issue of Banned Books

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Library Shakedowns: Book Bans and Censorship

By Alex Clifford

On December 5, 2022

In Humanities , Responsible Conduct

“I started thinking about how I might be different, how my life might be different, how my conversations might be different, if [‘To Kill a Mockingbird’] had not been a book that I was able to read in the 8th grade… to keep reading and reading again,” recounted Professor Kisha Daniels in her opening remarks of last month’s “Policing Pages” panel. 

What truly is more formative in the awkward, acned stretch of middle school than Lip-Smackered gossip and English class? Yellow page paperbacks, palimpsests of doodles and students from years past. Purchased on teacher budget scraps and booster club wrapping paper sales, Shakespeare, Orwell, a hundred used copies of “Tuck Everlasting”: stained, dog-eared, and coverless . 

Psychology and neuroscience researchers agree that reading (and, thus, books like “To Kill a Mockingbird”) weaves tapestries of yarny neurons and synapses, beneficial for the development of social-emotional skills, empathy, and creativity during childhood and adolescence. 

Yet, America has recently witnessed persistent efforts to ban certain titles from K12 schools. In 2004 and 2005, for example, Stanford Middle (here in Durham) challenged the inclusion of “To Kill a Mockingbird” in its own library, citing the novel’s use of racial slurs.

It ultimately was not removed from the shelves, but the book remains one of the most challenged/banned titles in U.S. school history .

In 2021, the American Library Association reported an unprecedented 729 book challenges. So why, Daniels prompted, are we seeing such a high number of banned books? And why now?

Before answering this, Professor Sarah Ludington clarified some of the misleading rhetoric propagated by the popular media. “’Banned books’ is more of a slogan,” she explained. More accurate is the idea of challenging a book, whether in a library or on the class curriculum. This does not necessarily mean the book will be outright banned or even removed from the shelf or, if it is banned, permanently. In fact, books can be reinstated, even after their removal, back to their shelf and the occasional dust bunny.

In North Carolina, such a statute exists in state law that bars an individual, like a single librarian, teacher, or parent, from undemocratically removing or banning a book. Instead, local administrative boards must take a vote.

University Librarian Joseph Salem argued that social media platforms, like Facebook, and online groups, like Moms for Liberty, create tectonic shocks that trigger tidal waves of book challenges. They’re echo chambers: amplifying calls to remove specific books from school libraries, ping-ponging literary “hit-lists” through cyberspace with titles such as: “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood, “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, and “Beloved” by Toni Morrison (you can take a look at the full list here ).

These books disproportionately feature marginalized voices and are often “charged and sentenced” for containing “LGBTQ content, profanity, and/or sexual references.”

As we’re all aware, what once was local news can quickly leach into national discourse. A book ban in a rural Ohio county, for example, can be picked up by the local media, trend on Twitter, disseminate through Facebook until someone, say, in Texas or Arkansas or North Carolina decides they too want to challenge said book in their own school district.

This book-banning rhetoric and its implications are present elsewhere in education-related conversations. Take, for example, Florida’s dubbed “ Don’t Say Gay ” bill. In March, lawmakers in the Sunshine State argued that merely mentioning sexual orientation/gender identity in primary school settings is grounds for a lawsuit on the basis that such content is innately “sexually explicit,” no matter its context.

However, challenging certain books and even passing certain laws are usually not intentionally malicious acts. It is indisputable that some books simply do not belong on school bookshelves. A medical textbook, Ludington analogized, wouldn’t make sense in a library for children just learning how to read. But, in a high school with a more mature student body, its inclusion wouldn’t bat an eye. Further, in the U.S. more generally, First Amendment rights do not extend to all forms of speech anyways, including but not limited to “obscenity, child pornography, fighting words, and the advocacy of imminent lawless action.”

And though societal concern over the well-being of children is well-intentioned, it can often be misguided or out-of-proportion.

I don’t think it’s too outrageous to consider children as sentient and receptive, whether to new ideas, new perspectives, and/or new people.

Still, in the United States, a number of moral panics , concerning everything from poisoned Halloween candy to “Dungeons & Dragons” to subliminal messaging in rock music to Tide Pods, have been cause for parental concern.

In 1985, for example, Tipper Gore bought Prince’s “Purple Rain” album for her 11-year-old daughter and was shocked by its age-inappropriate lyrics. She took her concern to the Senate in a series of Congressional hearings which, though largely mocked, called for a music rating system like the kind adopted by Hollywood for movies. 

Dee Snider, Frank Zappa, and John Denver somehow managed to assemble into the eclectic “primary counsel” for the musical defense and eloquently argued that labeling and banning albums is akin to censorship.

Gore’s campaign was ultimately unsuccessful.

But, it’s not difficult to see how censorship concerns voiced in the Senate in the 80s mirror the ones voiced today.

Ludington, a self-proclaimed First Amendment enthusiast, added that “…inherent in our idea of freedom of speech is this notion that truth emerges from robust dialogue… The best way to counteract whatever pernicious effect there might be, say from a book that you wanted to ban, is actually to read the book and reason against it.” 

This kind of civil discourse is an idealism baked into the “apple pie” of American democracy. Quite arguably the Golden Delicious themselves. Over the course of U.S. history, there have been just and unjust efforts to suppress individuals’ freedom of speech. Take the infamous “ yelling FIRE in a crowded theater ” anecdote. 

Experts concur, however, that most censorship is unproductive and often does little to actually stymie the ideas it so desperately wants to quash. In fact, as Daniels pointed out, banning books from school libraries typically does not decrease their readership and can actually drive their sales up. 

But the implications of book banning run deep, implying that, as a society, there is little value in responsibly harboring and learning from certain (and often difficult) materials. 

Salem described a collection on hate groups, gathered by the Southern Poverty Law Center and possessed by the Duke University library. He said, “If we take a step back for a moment and think that everything in the Duke University library… is something we endorse without understanding the complexity of why we might have it, either to learn from it as a good or bad example… one might say that owning or stewarding means that we support what’s in that collection. I would push back on that vehemently. It doesn’t comport with our values at all.” 

After book banning efforts in school libraries reached an all time high in 2021 , 2022 is trending to exceed last year’s figure.

Instead of arguing with disgruntled parents and Facebook groups, many underpaid librarians and teachers, Salem described, choose to self-censor, quietly removing contentious titles from their shelves to avoid unfair accusations lobbied at them in heated PTO meetings, over angry phone calls, or during school board votes. 

To oppose this form of censorship, Daniels, Ludington, and Salem agreed: Read the books! Parents, Facebook group members, and legislatures alike, read before challenging, before banning, and then after banning. Reading is really the preeminent way to avoid unnecessarily suppressing free speech in schools; to introduce yourself to new ideas, to new discourse, and to new perspectives. Daniels put it best, “The book is innocent until proven guilty.”

Give it a fair trial.  

In Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird ,” Atticus describes empathy to Scout in a way which resonates with many of the “Policing Pages” talking points, saying: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

If interested in the “Policing Pages: The American Classics” discussion, click here to watch.

If interested in resources on book banning, check out the American Library Association for more information.

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Stifling the Colors of Diversity Through Book Banning

• Author By set78
• Publication date July 1, 2023
• Categories: Newsletter

According to PEN America , a nonprofit organization that fights to maintain free speech, a school book ban is “any action taken against a book based on its content and as a result of parent or community challenges, administrative decisions, or in response to direct or threatened action by lawmakers or other governmental officials. Book bans lead to the restriction or removal of previously accessible books, overriding the choices made by educators to enrich their students’ education. In the U.S., book banning is the most prevalent form of censorship , threatening the first amendment rights of students and hindering their education.

The history of censorship in Schools:

Even decades ago, the expression of controversial beliefs faced resistance from those in positions of authority who sought to mold the opinions of students according to their own perspectives.

In 1968, a group of students wore black armbands to school in protest of the Vietnam War but were suspended for refusing to take them off. The students sued the school district, and in the resultant Supreme Court case, T inker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District , “the Court held that the students did not lose their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech when they stepped onto school property.”

Not 15 years later in 1982, a school board attempted to ban books from their junior high and high school libraries for being “anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, and just plain filthy.” Students sued the board, and the Supreme Court case, Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District No. 26 v. Pico by Pico , concluded that “although school boards have a vested interest in promoting respect for social, moral, and political community values, their discretionary power is secondary to the transcendent imperatives of the First Amendment,” establishing that banning books from school libraries based on their content was unconstitutional.

Although there is Supreme Court precedent supporting the unconstitutionality of book bans based on content or ideology, there has been a huge spike in legislation to support books bans, attempted book bans, and organizations advocating for them. 

The current state of book bans in the US:

In the past couple of years, the number of book challenges and bans has increased significantly. According to WordsRated , in 2020, there were 273 unique titles included in book banning proposals across the US, but in 2021 and 2022, there were 1597 and 2571 unique titles included respectively. In addition to the vast jump in books being targeted by various people, organizations, and institutions, there has been a rise in state legislation targeting content in schools, either explicitly banning certain content or making it exponentially easier to do so.

Parents in support of book bans claim they have a “parental right” to control what kind of information these parent’s children consume, and as a result are trying to control the content available for all students. However, their children’s rights to free speech and access to information are ignored and hindered.

Book Bans and Related Policy in Florida:

In March 2022, HB 1557, The Parental Rights in Education Act , also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, was passed in Florida. The bill prohibits the “instruction” of “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” by “teachers or third parties” for students in kindergarten through 3 rd grade. The bill also gives parents extensive pathways to bring lawsuits against school districts, teachers, and other educators who act against the rule of the bill.

Continuing with the trend in increasing educational content restrictions, Florida passed HB 1069 in May 2023 which expanded the restriction set in HB 1557 from prekindergarten through 8 th grade as well as other implications for educational standards, including in regard to students’ ability to express gender identity and the use of their preferred pronouns.

Lawsuit Against Florida for Banning And Tango Makes Three :

In December 2022, the Lake County School District invoked the HB 1557 bill to justify banning the children’s book And Tango Makes Three for students in kindergarten to third grade.

As a story based on a true story, it is not only “factually accurate,” but also “contains no vulgarity, obscenity, or content that would not befit a school environment.” The story offers “valuable lessons about animal behavior, adoption, diversity among family structures, and responsible family values.” In addition, as a picture book about a family of penguins, the book is recommended for children aged 4-8 years old, and therefore, acceptable content for any age.

With no content-based reason for the book to be banned from educational settings, on June 20th 2023, the authors of the book along with six students in the district filed a lawsuit against the school district, its board, and superintendent, as well as individuals in charge of passing Florida’s HB 1557 and 1069 bills.

The plaintiffs argue that prohibiting access to And Tango Makes Three is a violation of the First Amendment. Students and authors are denied their first amendment rights to receive information and the right to freedom of expression. In addition, book banning based on content and ideology is censorship and discrimination of differing perspectives. 

The case also argues that the bills, HB 1557 and HB 1069, are unconstitutional because of its vague language, violating the Due Process Clause of the fourteenth amendment. Language in the bill, like “instruction” or “third parties,” is an example of the incredibly broad language that causes the unconstitutionality. Without clarity in the bill, educators and students will not be sure about what actions, lessons, or conversations break laws set by the bill, leading to arbitrary and discriminatory applications of the law. For example, if a student is telling another student about their parents who are in a same-sex relationship, is that considered “instruction” or is the student considered a “third party?”

The Broader Context of the Lawsuit:

The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit with the goal of having the book unbanned for all grade levels of students as well as having HB 1557 and 1069 deemed unconstitutional.

The challenges against the constitutionality of the bills serve to set an incredibly important precedent protecting the rights of authors and students, efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the right to intellectual freedom at all ages.

Considering Florida is one of the first states to start passing policy supporting censorship in educational settings, if this lawsuit is successful, other states who might be joining the efforts to restrict educational content by trying to pass new policies or ban new books would be pretty broadly deemed unconstitutional. By fighting against these restrictive laws and advocating for the reinstatement of And Tango Makes Three , the plaintiffs aim to preserve the integrity of education and ensure that students have access to a wide range of ideas, perspectives, and stories.

This case serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle to maintain intellectual freedom and to protect the rights of individuals’ ability to express themselves and access information. The plaintiffs’ fight against censorship and discrimination in educational environments is not only crucial for the present, but also for future generations. The fight against book banning is a pivotal moment that tests the commitment to a diverse and inclusive society, where all voices and stories have the opportunity to be heard and valued.

Suggestions for Further Reading:

Background information regarding book bans.

• The American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights
• Banned Book Statistics
• Why is the US banning children’s books?

The Problem with Book Bans:

• How Book Bans Threaten Democracy
• The Negative Effect of Book Banning in the Classroom
• What Students Are Saying About Banning Books From School Libraries

Supreme Court Decisions Related to Book Bans:

• Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District No. 26 v. Pico by Pico
• Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District

Policy Efforts Against Book Bans:

• The White House Appoints a New Coordinator in the Department of Education to Take on Book Bans Countrywide
• Illinois Breaking Barriers by Passing the First Ban on Book Bans

How You Can Fight Censorship and Book Bans:

• PEN America, #FreeTheBooks
• Get Involved with the American Library Association
• The Author’s Guild: Stop Book Bans Toolkit

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Since 1999, support for the idea of banning “books with dangerous ideas” from public school libraries has declined from 55% to 46% and has now fallen to the lowest level of support of the past 20 years, in contrast with the modest increase observed in concerns about pornographic material in magazines and movies. But even in the early 1990s, as few as 48% had supported banning such books. While there are relatively modest partisan differences in opinions about banning dangerous books, there are divisions within parties, especially among Democrats. Two-thirds of liberal Democrats (67%) disagree that dangerous books should be banned — and 52% completely disagree. By comparison, most conservative and moderate Democrats (56%) agree with the banning of dangerous books (and a relatively large proportion — 37% — completely agrees). Republicans are somewhat less divided, although 52% of conservative Republicans favor a ban on such books compared with 40% of moderate and liberal Republicans. Read More

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is the UChicago Library taking a stand against book bans.  A: As Dean Reimer explains, “We believe that knowledge enriches life, and book bans stand against freedom of inquiry and expression and therefore against the core principles of the University of Chicago.” Read more about why we’re taking a stand against book bans.

Q: How is the University of Chicago Library currently making banned books more broadly available? A: The UChicago Library is building a comprehensive collection of books banned across the U.S. The growing collection is available for consultation at the UChicago Library by the public, for check out by UChicago users, and for borrowing through Interlibrary Loan. The UChicago Library is also supporting access to more than 900 books banned throughout the country for everyone in Illinois through the Digital Public Library of America’s Banned Book Club on the Palace App.  

Q: Where can I find banned books to read at the UChicago Library? A: The University of Chicago Library is actively growing our collection of banned books and our goal is to make a full list of these books available.  At the present time, this part of our initiative is still taking shape, but we look forward to sharing this list of books soon.

You can search in the Library Catalog for titles of banned books that you are interested in. You can also access ebooks and audiobooks through the Palace Project app.   Over time, we will expand this guide with more information about our banned books collection.

Q: How can I read the banned books in the Palace Project app?  A: Follow these instructions to access The Banned Book Club on The Palace Project App:

• Download The Palace App on Google Play (Android) or through The App Store (Apple)
• Search for “Banned Book Club.”
• Click on the Settings gear icon in the lower right corner.
• Click on Libraries, then Banned Book Club.
• At the login screen, Click on Create Card.
• Click “Allow Once” when prompted to allow Palace to use your location.
• Follow the instructions to create your virtual library card.
• Check your email and click the verification link.
• Return to the Palace app and log in using the library barcode number found in the verification email and the password you created.
• Download your first book!

Q: Where can I find lists of books that have been challenged or banned?  A: There are multiple organizations who curate lists of books that have been banned or challenged. Two of the best-known organizations are the American Library Association and PEN America.   

American Library Association Banned & Challenged Books

The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles annual lists of book challenges from reports filed by library professionals in the field, including school libraries and public libraries, and from news stories published throughout the United States.

PEN America 2022-2023 Banned Book List

PEN America is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to raise awareness for the protection of free expression in literature and journalism. They compile lists of banned books in school libraries.

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Book Bans Continue to Surge in Public Schools

More books were removed during the first half of this academic year than in the entire previous one.

By Alexandra Alter

Book bans in public schools continued to surge in the first half of this school year, according to a report released on Tuesday by PEN America, a free speech organization.

From July to December 2023, PEN found that more than 4,300 books were removed from schools across 23 states — a figure that surpassed the number of bans from the entire previous academic year.

The rise in book bans has accelerated in recent years, driven by conservative groups and by new laws and regulations that limit what kinds of books children can access. Since the summer of 2021, PEN has tracked book removals in 42 states and found instances in both Republican- and Democratic-controlled districts.

The numbers likely fail to capture the full scale of book removals. PEN compiles its figures based on news reports, public records requests and publicly available data, but many removals go unreported.

Here are some of the report’s key findings.

Book removals are continuing to accelerate

Book bans are not new in the United States. School and public libraries have long had procedures for addressing complaints, which were often brought by parents concerned about their children’s reading material.

But the current wave stands out in its scope. Censorship efforts have become increasingly organized and politicized, supercharged by conservative groups like Moms for Liberty and Utah Parents United, which have pushed for legislation that regulates the content of library collections. Since PEN began tracking book bans, it has counted more than 10,000 instances of books being removed from schools. Many of the targeted titles feature L.G.B.T.Q. characters, or deal with race and racism, PEN found.

Florida had the highest number of removals

Florida’s schools had the highest number of book bans last semester, with 3,135 books removed across 11 school districts. Within Florida, the bulk of bans took place in Escambia County public schools , where more than 1,600 books were removed to ensure that they didn’t violate a statewide education law prohibiting books that depict or refer to sexual conduct. (In the sweep, some schools removed dictionaries and encyclopedias.)

Book removals have spiked in Florida because of several state laws, passed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and a Republican-controlled legislature, that aim in part to regulate reading and educational materials.

Florida has also become a testing ground for book banning tactics around the country, said Kasey Meehan, the program director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read Program.

“In some ways, what’s happening in Florida is incubated and then spread nationwide," she said. “We see the way in which very harmful pieces of legislation that have led to so much of the book banning crisis in Florida have been replicated, or provisions of those laws have been proposed or enacted in states like South Carolina and Iowa and Idaho.”

Books depicting sexual assault are increasingly being targeted

With the rise of legislation and policies that aim to prohibit books with sexual content from school libraries, books that depict sexual assault have been challenged with growing frequency. PEN found that nearly 20 percent of books that were banned during the 2021-2023 school years were works that address rape and sexual assault.

Last year, several books that deal with sexual violence were removed from West Ada School District in Idaho, among them a graphic novel edition of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the poetry collection “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur, Jaycee Dugard’s memoir, “A Stolen Life” and Amy Reed’s young adult novel, “The Nowhere Girls.”

In Collier County, Fla., public school officials — aiming to comply with a new law that restricts access to books that depict “sexual conduct” — removed hundreds of books from the shelves last year, including “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” by Zora Neale Hurston; “A Time To Kill,” by John Grisham; and “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison.

A movement to counter book bans is growing

Opponents of book bans — including parents, students, free speech and library organizations, booksellers and authors — are leading an organized effort to stop book removals, often with the argument that book bans violate the First Amendment, which protects the right to access information.

Last fall, hundreds of students in Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District staged a walkout to protest challenges to more than 50 books. At a school board meeting last October in Laramie County, Wyo., students held a “read-in” to silently protest book bans. Elsewhere, students have formed banned books clubs, held marches and created free community bookshelves in their towns to make titles more accessible.

Legislatures in California and Illinois have passed “anti-book ban” laws. In several states, including Texas and Florida , lawsuits have been filed in an effort to overturn legislation that has made it easier to ban books.

“In nearly every case that’s come forward, judges have been finding that these laws are unconstitutional,” said Jonathan Friedman, who oversees PEN America’s U.S. Free Expression programs. Still, Friedman said it could take years for the laws to be challenged and possibly overturned, and noted that new legislation keeps proliferating.

“I don’t have the sense that this issue is about to go away,” he said.

Alexandra Alter writes about books, publishing and the literary world for The Times. More about Alexandra Alter