(New York) Book bans and attempted bans increased again in the United States last year, continuing to set record levels, according to a new report from the American Library Association (ALA).
The ALA announced Thursday that 4,240 books in school and public libraries have been targeted in 2023, a substantial increase from 2022’s record of 2,571 books. It is also the highest number that the library association has recorded since she began following the file more than 20 years ago.
As in recent years, most of the challenged books – 47% – have LGBTQ+ and racial themes.
Efforts to censor dozens or even hundreds of books at a time have grown in Florida and Texas, among other states, reflecting the influence of conservative organizations such as Moms for Liberty and websites such as www .booklooks.org and www.ratedbooks.org.
“Every call for a book ban is a call to deny every person’s constitutionally protected right to choose and read books that raise important issues and elevate the voices of those who are often silenced,” said Deborah Caldwell. -Stone, director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom.
In a press release, Mme Caldwell-Stone said she is particularly concerned about the increase in protests at public libraries, which now account for about 40% of all protests, more than double the percentage in 2022.
“We used to hear that when a book was removed from a school library, the child could still get it at the town library,” she said. Now we see the same groups turning around and demanding that books be removed from public libraries. »
Next month, the association will release its annual list of the most frequently challenged books. The graphic autobiography of Maia Kobabe, Gender Queer (Gender Queer), has been at the top of the list for the past two years. Other widely criticized publications include: Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (The first to cry loses) by Sherman Alexie and The Bluest Eye (The Bluest Eye), by Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison.
ALA figures are based on media accounts and librarian reports. The association has long believed that many protests are not taken into account or that certain books are removed by librarians in anticipation of protests.