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 challenge 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.
To the right you will find the Top Thirteen challenged books from the past year, 2022. 2022 continued to see an increase in challenges to books about and by LGBTQ+ and BIPOC individuals.
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: Utah, Missouri, Texas, Florida, Iowa
Banned in: Utah, Florida, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas
Banned in: Utah, Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Florida
Banned in: Florida, South Carolina, Texas, Utah
Banned in: Iowa, Florida, Texas, Utah
Banned in: Missouri
Banned in: Missouri
Banned in: Iowa, Texas
Banned in: Virginia
Banned in: Texas
Banned in: Florida, Pennsylvania
Banned in: Florida
Banned in: Texas, Utah, South Carolina, North Dakota, Florida, Iowa
Banned in: Florida, Missouri, North Dakota, Utah
Banned in: Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas
Banned in: Florida, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah
Banned in: Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Iowa
Banned in: Florida, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania
Banned in: Michigan, Florida, North Dakota,South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia
Banned in: South Carolina, Florida, Utah
Banned in: Florida
Banned in: Florida, Pennsylvania,
Banned in: Florida, South Carolina
Banned in: Utah, Wyoming, Florida, Michigan, New York, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas,
Banned in: Florida, Michigan, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Iowa
Banned in: South Carolina, North Dakota, Florida
Banned in: Texas, Utah, Florida, North Dakota, South Carolina
Banned in: Florida, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas
Since the start of the 2022-2023 school year — July through July — PEN America recorded 3,362 book bans in public school classrooms and libraries across the country. This is an increase of 33% from the previous school year. These bans removed student access to 1,557 unique book titles.
The ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom released even greater numbers (3,923 total and 1915 unique titles) and those are just from January - August 2023.
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: "Banned in America: The Mounting Pressure to Censor"
"Booklash: Literary Freedom, Online Outrage, and the Language of Harm"
"Banned in the USA: The Growing Movement to Censor Books in Schools"
Find out more:
Weekly Intellectual Freedom News from the ALA
News from the National Coalition Against Censorship
Most Challenged Comics since 2000
Track Critical Race Theory Bans by State
Book Challenges Nearly Doubled From 2021
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.