How many book titles have been challenged so far in 2024?
AUSTIN (KXAN) — This week marks Banned Books Week, and the American Library Association (ALA) shared preliminary data Monday on the number of book challenges made thus far in 2024.
The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom recorded 414 attempts to ban or censor materials and services within libraries across the country between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31. Within those 414 attempts, more than 1,100 individual titles were challenges, per the ALA.
Comparatively, nearly 700 attempts and more than 1,900 individual book titles were reportedly challenged in the same timespan last year. When looking at all of 2023 data, ALA said the year saw a record number of 4,240 individual titles challenged, a 65% increase compared to 2022 figures.
Despite a dip in attempts made so far this year, association officials said the organization is still seeing a substantial increase in book censorship trends now compared to 2020 figures.
The ALA also noted numerous "soft censorship" instances, are incidents where books are purchased but relocated to restricted access areas or not used as part of public-facing library displays. In other circumstances, ALA officials said libraries don't purchase certain titles to avoid potential challenges or remove them on shelves before challenges could happen.
“As these preliminary numbers show, we must continue to stand up for libraries and challenge censorship wherever it occurs,” ALA President Cindy Hohl said in the release. “We know library professionals throughout the country are committed to preserving our freedom to choose what we read and what our children read, even though many librarians face criticism and threats to their livelihood and safety. We urge everyone to join librarians in defending the freedom to read. We know people don’t like being told what they are allowed to read, and we’ve seen communities come together to fight back and protect their libraries and schools from the censors.”
The ALA's release flagged several states have passed and enacted legislation related to restrictions on certain materials in schools and public libraries, but added lawsuits have arisen in response to those laws. Back in January, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans uphold a block on Texas' law that required vendors to evaluate and rate sexually explicit content in books sold.
Elsewhere, Llano County officials spoke before 18 federal appeals court judges Tuesday in support of their desire to keep 17 books off its library system shelves, according to reporting from the Associated Press. Those challenged titles discussed topics and issues such as sex, gender identity and racism, per AP's reporting.