Banned Books Week 2023

Banned Books Week is an annual event from American Library Association celebrating the freedom to read and highlighting the value of free and open access to information. The theme this year is "Let Freedom Read."

In 2022, the American Library Association (ALA) Office of Intellectual Freedom documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources, the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. The unparalleled number of reported book challenges in 2022 nearly doubles the 729 book challenges reported in 2021. Censors targeted a record 2,571 unique titles in 2022, a 38% increase from the 1,858 unique titles targeted for censorship in 2021. Of those titles, the vast majority were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community or by and about Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color.

"Censorship by librarians of constitutionally protected speech, whether for protection or for any other reason, violates the First Amendment"--ALA

Learn more: 

• Understand the difference between a book challenge and a banned book with this FAQ from ALA.

• Visit Sherwood Public Library during Banned Books Week and exercise your right to read. Look for displays with more information about books that have been banned in other libraries.

• Celebrate your freedom to read with a free vinyl sticker from Washington County Cooperative Library Services. Pick yours up at any WCCLS member library starting October 1, while supplies last. Read more from WCCLS here.

• Parents and caregivers, here are some age-appropriate ways to talk about Banned Books Week with children:

  • From Scholastic Books

  • From Common Sense Media

  • Teen voices on banned books, from The New York Times.

  • From American Library Association

• Are you a student researching a report on banned books? The Oregon Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee has made this resource just for you.

• See this infographic from ALA about the challenges reported in 2022.

• Read about how we create our local Sherwood Public Library collection of over 55,000 items for this diverse community in our Collection Development Policy.

• Get involved. Unite Against Books Bans is a national initiative to empower readers everywhere to stand together in the fight against censorship. Find more ideas from ALA about getting involved here.

Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022 from across the country:

1. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
   Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit.

2. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit.

3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
   Reasons: Banned and challenged because it has themes of rape and incest, has EDI content, and was claimed to be sexually explicit.

4. Flamer by Mike Curato
   Reasons: Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit.

5. Looking for Alaska by John Green
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit.

6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for themes of rape, drug use, profanity, having LGBTQIA+ content, and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit.

7. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit.

8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit.

9. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
   Reasons: Challenged because it was claimed to be sexually explicit.

10. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
    Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was claimed to be sexually explicit.

11. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
    Reasons: Banned and challenged for drug use and because it was claimed to be sexually explicit.

12. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
    Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted because it contained profanity and was claimed to be sexually explicit.

13. This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
    Reasons: Challenged for providing sex education and LGBTQIA+ content, and was claimed to be sexually explicit.