Updated Oct. 2024, find out more about Unite Against Book Bans.
Updated Sept. 2024: PEN American has released new information for Banned Books Week 2024. Read more at https://pen.org/banned-books-week-2024.
Though book censorship is a national concern (see graphic for national book ban numbers) – our display focuses on books that have been banned (removed from public schools and/or libraries) or challenged (targeted for removal) in Florida.
According to PEN America Florida, “Florida now ranks first in the nation and accounts for more than 40% of all documented [book] bans.”
It might not seem like removing or restricting titles in schools or public libraries is a huge problem, after all you can purchase them here and from many other stores. But book censorship has real and significant effects on readers (many of them young people) who may only have access to these books via schools and libraries – places that are readily accessible and free.
And it’s important to consider whose stories are being restricted or removed. According to the American Library Association, “47% of the books targeted for censorship were titles representing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals.”
Want to learn more?
PEN America Florida: https://pen.org/region/florida
National Coalition Against Censorship: https://ncac.org
The American Library Association’s Unite Against Book Bans Campaign: https://uniteagainstbookbans.org
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