Alt text: Image of birds and birdcages, books unite us, censorship divides us
Banned Books Week is held from September 18-24, 2022.
For the year 2021: 1,597 books were affected by censorship attempts.
Yes unfortunately, books are still being banned or challenged across the United States. Censorship in any form seeks to create barriers to information where reading seeks to decrease barriers to information. These challenges or bans usually focus on books that contain subject matter of historically underrepresented groups, LGBTQIA themes, and books that discuss sex and sexuality. Since these topics are often on the ‘fringe’ , trying to restrict this information increases harm that often already exists due to years of repression and/or denial of their existence.
The following information is from the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week website.
What is the difference between a challenge or banning?
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.
Who challenges books?
Throughout history, more and different kinds of people and groups of all persuasions than you might first suppose who, for all sorts of reasons, have attempted—and continue to attempt—to suppress anything that conflicts with or anyone who disagrees with their own beliefs.
For information on how to get involved see, https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/activity
The top 10 most challenged books:
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10