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The Guardian
08-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Majority of attempts to ban books in US come from organised groups not parents
A large majority of attempts to ban books in the US last year came from organised groups rather than parents. 72% of demands to censor books were initiated by pressure groups, government entities and elected officials, board members and administrators, reported the American Library Association (ALA). Just 16% of ban attempts were made by parents, while 5% were brought forward by individual library users. 'These demands to remove and restrict books and other library materials are not the result of any grassroots or popular sentiment,' read the ALA's 2025 State of America's Libraries report, published on Monday. 'The majority of book censorship attempts are now originating from well-funded, organised groups and movements long dedicated to curbing access to information and ideas.' Many of the organisations leading the book censorship movement are so-called 'parental rights' groups – most prominently Moms for Liberty. This group has strong ties to the Republican Party and has been labelled 'extremist'. 'They aren't always moms, they don't always have kids, and they definitely don't care about 'liberty' for everyone else,' wrote the American Civil Liberties Union's Paul Bowers in late 2023. The share of censorship attempts made by organised campaigns has risen drastically in recent years. Between 2001 and 2020, pressure groups, board members, administrators and elected officials challenged an average of 46 titles per year. In 2024, these groups challenged 4,190 titles. The most common reasons for challenges were claims of obscenity, the inclusion of LGBTQ+ themes or characters, and the discussion of race, racism and social justice. 'The movement to ban books is not a movement of parents, but a movement of partisans who seek to limit our freedom to read,' said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA's office for intellectual freedom. Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion In its report, the ALA also published a list of the 10 most challenged books of 2024, which included books by Toni Morrison and John Green. The most-challenged book was All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir Manifesto by George M Johnson, about the author's experience as a queer Black man growing up in New Jersey and Virginia. Last August, Moms for Liberty filed a petition to a court in New York seeking an injunction to remove All Boys Aren't Blue from a school library. The book 'contains numerous profanities and lewd content' and 'several instances of pornography including sexual molestation', read the petition. The second most-challenged title was Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, while the tied third most-challenged were The Bluest Eye by Morrison and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Other books on the top 10 list include Looking for Alaska by Green, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews and Sold by Patricia McCormick. The number of attempts to censor library books and other materials fell between 2023 and 2024, from 1,247 to 821, resulting in a fall in the total number of books challenged from 9,021 to 5,813. The ALA said that the fall in documented censorship could be due to under-reporting or cases of 'censorship by exclusion' which occurs when, for example, library workers place books in less accessible areas of the library due to fear of controversy. Documented censorship attempts may also have fallen because recent legislative restrictions on books containing 'controversial themes' have resulted in those titles being removed from libraries, according to the ALA.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Birmingham-area libraries plan to celebrate National Library Week
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — National Library Week will take place from April 6-12, according to the American Library Association. The theme for the week is 'Drawn to the Library.' Here are some specific dates the ALA said to look out for: April 7 — Right to Read Day The ALA will kick off the week by releasing its State of America's Libraries report for 2025, which will include a list of challenged books. The ALA stated this is a day for readers and library advocates to defend and celebrate the right to read. April 8 — National Library Workers Day The ALA stated this day is designated to recognize library workers. April 9 — National Library Outreach Day According to the ALA, National Library Outreach Day aims to celebrate the outreach services offered by library workers. April 10 — Take Action for Libraries Day The ALA stated that April 10 is dedicated to rallying advocated to support libraries. More information about National Library Week can be found on the ALA's website. Trussville Public Library to feature local students' art at show next week Some local libraries have plans in place to celebrate the week. Montevallo's Parnell Memorial Library is giving patrons the offer to write notes of appreciation to the library staff, which will be read on National Library Workers Day. The Homewood Public Library will host a week-long bookmark contest. The Southside Branch Library will host a 'What Draws You to Our Library?' celebration. National Library Week was first developed in 1957 by the National Book Committee, and the week was first observed in 1958 with the theme 'Wake Up and Read!' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
