Welcome to Freedom to Read Week! This week we celebrate our freedom to read what we choose free of censorship.
Since it was founded in 1982, Banned Books Week, now also called Freedom to Read Week, has highlighted the value of free and open access to information by drawing attention to the attempts to remove books and other materials from libraries, schools, and bookstores.
The past few years have seen an upsurge in censorship attempts in the form of book challenges, book bans, and attacks on school and public libraries.
Freedom to Read Week (also called Banned Book Week) is an annual celebration that draws attention to challenges to books and books that have been banned in schools and libraries. Librarians WANT you to have the freedom to make your own choices about the books you read! Books are often challenged or banned for supposed moral or religious reasons, or sometimes just because a single person disagrees with a character or story. Often challenges are brought by a minority, albeit a loud one, who want to control the access of everyone. But librarians believe in your freedom to read whatever you choose.
The number of titles targeted for censorship surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022, reaching the highest levels ever documented by OIF in more than 20 years of tracking: 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for removal from schools and libraries. (source)
Below you can find books in the Viterbo Library that are currently banned from schools and libraries around the country.
Celebrate your FREEDOM TO READ and READ BANNED BOOKS!
Banned in: Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas
Banned in: Florida, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas
Banned in: Texas, Utah, Florida, North Dakota, South Carolina
Banned in: South Carolina, North Dakota, Florida
Banned in: Florida, Michigan, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Iowa
Banned in: Utah, Wyoming, Florida, Michigan, New York, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas,
Banned in: Florida, South Carolina
Banned in: Florida, Pennsylvania,
Banned in: Florida
Banned in: South Carolina, Florida, Utah
Banned in: Michigan, Florida, North Dakota,South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia
Banned in: Florida, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania
Banned in: Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Iowa
Banned in: Florida, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah
Banned in: Utah, Missouri, Texas, Florida, Iowa
Banned in: Florida, Missouri, North Dakota, Utah
Banned in: Texas, Utah, South Carolina, North Dakota, Florida, Iowa
Banned in: Florida
Banned in: Florida, Pennsylvania
Banned in: Texas
Banned in: Virginia
Banned in: Iowa, Texas
Banned in: Missouri
Banned in: Missouri
Banned in: Iowa, Florida, Texas, Utah
Banned in: Florida, South Carolina, Texas, Utah
Banned in: Utah, Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Florida
Banned in: Utah, Florida, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas
Banned for: Supposed profanity, sexuality, & "Inappropriate for developing minds"
Banned in: Florida, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Utah, Missouri, Kentucky, Alabama, Indiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio,& Texas
Compared to 2022, the challenges of unique book titles increased 65% in 2023, according to the ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom. The OIF documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship, as well as 1,247 demands to censor library books, materials, and resources in 2023. And 2023 saw a 92% increase in challenges at Public Libraries. (source)
Book challenges continue and new laws and policies are being enacted to censor what is being taught in school, what books can be purchased, and what books and ideas individuals can access.
There has been an increase in challenges reflecting the recent backlash and ongoing debates surrounding the teaching and discussion of race and racism in American history, LGBTQ+ identities, and sexual education in schools. Trends also show an uptick in challenges originating from legislators and administrators, ie. government censorship. 
You may have heard of the "Don't Say Gay" law passed in Florida or about Texas's "Critical Race Theory Law" but there is plenty more happening right now.
Check out :
ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom Book Ban Data Page
Newest PEN America Reports:
Project 2025 and its Threats to Free Expression
Banned in the USA: Narrating the Crisis
"Spineless Shelves: Two Years of Book Banning"
Find out more:
Weekly Intellectual Freedom News from the ALA
News from the National Coalition Against Censorship
Track Critical Race Theory Bans by State
Check out a new project by the Digital Public Library of America addressing the restriction of books. They allow people in areas where books have been banned to access those books with a digital library card! Check them out at The Banned Book Club.
