2022 Saw Record Number of Book Ban Attempts, ALA Says
AllSides Summary
The American Library Association reported that 1,269 demands to censor library books were made in 2022, the highest number recorded since record-keeping started 20 years ago.
Key Quotes: An ALA statement said that “2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship, 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 and people of color.” The ALA attributed the increase in censorship demands to “organized censorship groups.” ALA President Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada said “many library workers face threats to their employment, their personal safety, and in some cases, threats of prosecution for providing books to youth they and their parents want to read.”
What is the ALA? According to the ALA website, the association’s mission is to “provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”
How The Media Covered It: Left- and center-rated outlets covered the report mildly; right-rated outlets covered it even less. The Washington Examiner linked the censorship attempts to lawmakers’ “efforts to prevent young children from being exposed to graphic sexual content and critical race theory in schools,” and determined the increase to be the result of books with “sexual, racial, and LGBT themes” being “discovered in classrooms and libraries.”
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Record number of demands made to ban or censor books in 2022: Report
A record-breaking 1,269 demands were made to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since the American Library Association began collecting data over 20 years ago, the association said.
A record 2,571 unique books were targeted for censorship in 2022, a 38% increase from 2021 when 1,858 titles were targeted.
"Of the overall number of books challenged, 90% were part of attempts to censor multiple titles," the ALA said. "Of the books challenged, 40% were in cases involving 100 or more books."
In...
From the Right
Attempted book bans surged in 2022 as leaders target sexual content and critical race theory: Report
Attempts to restrict access to certain books increased in 2022, particularly those featuring LGBT and racial themes. This comes as lawmakers across the country have made efforts to prevent young children from being exposed to graphic sexual content and critical race theory in schools.
According to a new report from the American Library Association, the number of materials that restrictions were sought for in 2022 nearly doubled from 2021. It revealed that there were 1,269 requests made to have resources censored in 2022, compared to just 729 requests the year...
From the Center
Efforts to Ban Books Nearly Doubled in 2022, Report Finds
Attempts to ban books in U.S. libraries nearly doubled in 2022 from a year earlier, according to a new report from the American Library Association.
The organization said Thursday it identified 1,269 efforts to censor books and resources in libraries last year. That is the most recorded in the more than two decades the American Library Association has tracked these trends, and a jump from 729 in 2021.
The report captures a glimpse of what many libraries and schools are experiencing as some parents, legislators and conservative groups aim to...
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