It’s time to take action on behalf of authors, library staff, and the communities they serve.
Books give us courage and help us understand each other. “The list also illustrates how frequently stories by or about LGBTQ+ persons, people of color, and lived experiences are being targeted by censors. Closing our eyes to the reality portrayed in these stories will not make life’s challenges disappear. “By releasing the list of Top 10 Most Challenged Books each year, ALA recognizes all of the brave authors whose work challenges readers with stories that disrupt the status quo and offer fresh perspectives on tough issues,” said ALA President Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada. Most of the targeted books were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 2,571 unique titles targeted for censorship, a 38% increase from the 1,858 unique titles targeted in 2021. In 2022, ALA tracked the highest number of censorship reports since the association began compiling data about library censorship more than 20 years ago. Libraries in every state faced another year of unprecedented attempts to ban books. This year, however, there were multiple books that received the same number of challenges – resulting in the expansion of the list to 13 titles.
Today, the American Library Association (ALA) kicked off National Library Week with the release of its highly anticipated list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2022 and the State of America’s Libraries Report, which tells the story of how libraries are innovating and adapting to improve the well-being of their communities in the midst of censorship challenges.
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