On March 14, the American Library Association (ALA) released its most recent book challenge data for 2023. According to ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF), which tracks challenges and acts of censorship in public schools and libraries across the United States, the number of targeted titles rose 65 percent from 2022—once again, the highest levels ever documented by ALA. In public libraries, numbers increased 92 percent over the previous year; school libraries saw an 11 percent increase. Challenged titles featuring the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47 percent of those targeted in censorship attempts.

The other content that would-be censors object to, according to ALA, includes a range of topics—and some challenges cite multiple reasons. Works on sex education, reproductive rights, and feminism; fantasy novels that include sex scenes; classics on the AP list (including 1984 and Slaughter-House Five); books by and about political figures; books about non-Christian faiths; and the Bible all saw challenges.

The numbers represented 983 challenges to 4,240 unique titles in both schools and libraries, topping 2022’s high of 2,571. Libraries alone saw 1,247 demands to censor, relocate, or restrict books, materials, and resources. In both schools and libraries, groups and individuals targeting multiple titles—often dozens or hundreds at a time—drove this surge. Texas and Florida led the country in attempts to restrict access to books in libraries and schools, with 49 and 33 instances respectively. No challenges were recorded in Delaware or Vermont. For a breakdown of challenges by state, see ALA’s heat map infographic.

“Behind each one of these numbers there’s an author, there’s a reader, and there’s a librarian who connects the two. So when we see numbers like this, each of them represents an attack on those special relationships,” said ALA President Emily Drabinski. “I think all of us who care about libraries and care about reading are surprised to see these numbers increase, because we know that the vast majority of Americans trust their libraries and librarians to make decisions about collections. So it continues to be a matter of ensuring that our voices are as loud as the tiny minority that we see represented in these numbers.”

One of the best ways to do that, noted Drabinski, is to use the library. “If you have a library card, use it. If you have a friend who doesn't have a library card, take them with you to the library and get them a library card,” she said. “That's a strong counter to the narrative.”

The 2023 book challenge numbers are compiled from reports filed with OIF by library professionals in the field and from national news stories. The association notes that because many challenges are not reported or covered by the press, the data represents only a snapshot of book censorship throughout the year. A challenge to a title may be resolved in favor of retaining the book in the collection or can result in its being restricted or withdrawn. Library staff and advocates are encouraged to join initiatives such as ALA’s Unite Against Book Bans and other organizations that support the freedom to read in libraries and schools.

“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,” said OIF Director Deborah Caldwell-Stone in a statement. “Each demand to ban a book is a demand to deny each person’s constitutionally protected right to choose and read books that raise important issues and lift up the voices of those who are often silenced.”

ALA will unveil its list of the top 10 most challenged books in the United States on Monday, April 8, which is Right to Read Day during National Library Week (April 7–13), along with its full State of America's Libraries Report.