Banned Books Week is an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read while raising awareness about current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. Librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types have joined together for more than 40 years in shared support of the freedom to seek and express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.
Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.
ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 1,247 demands to censor library books and resources in 2023. The number of titles targeted for censorship surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022.