Book Ban Attempts Spiked In 2023, New Research Shows

A record number of books were “targeted for censorship” in the United States in 2023, according to a study released Thursday from the American Library Association.

The organization representing libraries found efforts to ban 4,240 unique book titles in school and public libraries, a 65 percent increase from 2022.

These attempts skyrocketed for public libraries. There was a 92 percent increase for the number of titles targeted for bans at public libraries, and an 11 percent increase at school libraries.

“The reports from librarians and educators in the field make it clear that the organized campaigns to ban books aren’t over, and that we must all stand together to preserve our right to choose what we read,” Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the organization’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, said in a statement.

Books detailing the experiences of LGBTQ+ and minority communities accounted for 47 percent of the titles targeted.

There were attempts to censor more than 100 titles in 17 states.