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Banned Books Week: Home

Celebrating the Freedom to Read

What is Banned Books Week?

An annual event usually held in September, Banned Books Week is a time to celebrate and promote the freedom to read.

Why are books challenged and banned?

Books are usually challenged and banned when they contain information or ideas that one group considers dangerous or harmful for another group. For example, oftentimes parents will challenge books in order to protect children from what they deem to be "inappropriate" content, whether this is in the form of topics or language.  The ALA gives the top three reasons for challenging materials as:

  1. the material was considered to be "sexually explicit"
  2. the material contained "offensive language"
  3. the material was "unsuited to any age group"

- Banned Books Q&A, ALA 2017

Graphic of a colorful bird flying out of an open cage over a background of a pile of open books. Text reads "This Banned Books Week...Read a Banned Book!" ala.org/bbooks. American Library Association.

 

Online Resources

Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021

Resources in the Library