It’s Banned Books Week, an annual effort by the American Library Association to raise awareness about censorship.
Each year, the ALA creates a top ten list of the most challenged books filed by librarians and gleaned from news stories published throughout the country. Officials with the ALA have documented what they described as an alarming number of attempts to ban or challenge books in recent years.
In 2023, the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 1,247 efforts to censor books and other resources in libraries — an increase of 65% from the year before. More than half the books challenged featured LGBTQ+ themes and characters, and people of color.
Here’s what we know about Banned Books Week and how Hoosiers can get their hands on challenged books in Central Indiana.
When is Banned Books Week?
Banned Books Week this year is from Sept. 22-28. It’s usually held during the last week of September. The theme of this year’s event, according to the ALA, is “Freed Between the Lines.”
What is Banned Books Week?
Each year, the ALA draws national attention to censorship during Banned Books Week by compiling a list of banned or challenged books. The annual event is meant to bring the book community together — librarians, authors, educators, booksellers and readers — in support of literature, free expression, and the need for having free and open access to information.
The Top Ten banned books of 2023
The most frequently challenged books of 2023 in the U.S., according to the ALA, are as followed:
- “Gender Queer,” by Maia Kobabe (Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit)
- “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by George M. Johnson (Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit)
- “This Book is Gay,” by Juno Dawson (Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, sex education, claimed to be sexually explicit)
- “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky (Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, LGBTQIA+ content, rape, drugs, profanity)
- “Flamer,” by Mike Curato (Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit)
- “The Bluest Eye,” by Toni Morrison (Reasons: Rape, incest, claimed to be sexually explicit, EDI (equity, diversity, and inclusion) content)
- (TIE) “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” by Jesse Andrews (Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, profanity)
- (TIE) “Tricks,” by Ellen Hopkins (Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, drugs, rape, LGBTQIA+ content)
- “Let’s Talk About It,” by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan (Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, sex education, LGBTQIA+ content)
- “Sold,” by Patricia McCormick (Reasons: Claimed to be sexually explicit, rape)
Who created Banned Books Week?
Banned Books Week was established in 1982 by Judith Krug, a librarian and First Amendment proponent. She served as director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and executive director of the Freedom to Read Foundation.
According to Amnesty International, Krug received a request from the Association of American Publishers in 1982 to bring banned books to the attention of the American public after a “slew of books” had been banned that year. Krug, Amnesty International writes, relayed the information to the American Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee and “six weeks later we celebrated the first Banned Books Week.”
What state reported the most challenged books?
The ALA revealed in an earlier news release this year that 17 U.S. states challenged more than 100 book titles in 2023. Florida and Texas, by far, challenged the most books in 2023 with a combined total of more than 4,000 titles.
A full map of what U.S. states are challenging books can be found online at the ALA’s official website.
How to get banned books in Central Indiana
You can download millions of e-books for free with a library card from the Indianapolis Public Library. The service includes free access to music, magazines and movies that you can stream at home. Help to do so is available online at any of the library’s locations or by calling the Tinker Station helpline at 317-275-4500.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at JTuftsReports.
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