Banned Books Guide

What is book banning?

A book challenge is when a person or group of people attempts to remove or restrict materials, such as by submitting a formal complaint to a library. Book banning occurs when an individual or individuals in a position of power (e.g., school boards or governmental officials) prohibit or restrict the reading of certain books by the general public. Book banning can look like: 

• Destroying books, such as by burning them.
• Not allowing certain books to be published.
• Physically removing books from school, academic, or public libraries. 

Why do people challenge books?

Challenges are frequently driven by the aim to shield children from "inappropriate" sexual content or "offensive" language. The American Library Association (ALA) found that these were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials:

1. the material was considered to be "sexually explicit"
2. the material contained "offensive language"
3. the materials was "unsuited to any age group"

While the motivation is understandable, the "Access to Library Resources and Services for Minors" document, which explains the Library Bill of Rights, says that only parents have the right to control what their own children can access in the library. When librarians censor constitutionally protected speech, such as by removing previously available books from their shelves, it goes against the First Amendment.

What are the impacts of book bans? 

Book bans have negative consequences. Watch the video below to learn about how book bans impact individuals and our society.