Attempts to ban books at public libraries surge at record levels

As attempted book bans continue to surge in schools across the U.S., the challenges are now increasingly extending to public libraries, according to new American Library Association data.

By the numbers: ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom data shows there were 695 attempts to censor library materials and services in the first eight months of 2023, compared to 681 during the same period in 2022 — a year that saw attempted book bans reach record levels.

There were also challenges to 1,915 unique titles from Jan. 1 to Aug. 31 — marking a 20% increase from the same period last...