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A flock of colorful birds soars over a background of a pile of open books. Text reads: "Celebrate Banned Books Week, September 18-24, 2022. American Library Association logo"

Books unite us. Books encourage boundless exploration and allow readers to spread their wings. Stories give flight to new ideas and perspectives. Reading—especially books that set us free—expands our worldview. Censorship, on the other hand, locks away our freedom and divides us from humanity in our own cages.

Raise awareness about frequently challenged books and the freedom to read with the below graphics and activities.

Censorship by the Numbers inforgraphic depicting who initiates challenges, where challenges take place, what types of materials or services are challenged, and the reasons materials are challenged.

Censorship by the Numbers

The who, what, where, and why of censorship. Download and share our Censorship by the Numbers graphics to spread the word about challenges to library and school materials and services.

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Censorship by the Numbers inforgraphic depicting the percentage of challenges by material or service type. Text reads: "BOOKS AND BEYOND: The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 729 challenges in 2021. Here's the breakdown: 82% Books, graphic novels, and text books; 5% Programs, meeting rooms; 4% Displays, exhibits; 2% Films; 7% Other (includse filtering, access, databases, magazines, online resources, artwork, social media, music, pamphlets, student publications, reading lists). ala.org/bbooks | #BannedBooksWeek
Books and Beyond
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Censorship by the Numbers infographic featuring a word cloud of reasons various books, materials, and services have been challenged.
Reasons for Challenges
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Censorship by the Numbers inforgraphic depicting various locations. Text reads: "WHERE DO CHALLENGES TAKE PLACE? 44% School libraries, 37% Public libraries, 18% Schools, 1% Academic/Other. Statistics based on 729 responses. ala.org/bbooks | #BannedBooksWeek
Where do Challenges Take Place?
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Censorship by the Numbers inforgraphic featuring a pie graph. Text reads: "WHO INITIATIES CHALLENGES? 39% Parents, 24% Patrons, 18% Board/administration, 10% Political/religious groups, 6% Librarians/teachers, 2% Elected officials, 1% Students. Statistics based on 715 responses. ala.org/bbooks | #BannedBooksWeek
Who Initiates Challenges?
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Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021 inforgraphic depicting each book cover, title, author, and reasons challenged.

Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021

The American Library Association tracked 729 challenges to library, school, and university materials and services in 2021. Of the 1,597 individual books that were challenged or banned in 2021, here are the top 10 most challenged. Download and share to spread the word!

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Image depicting the #1 Most Challenged book of 2021: "Gender Queer" for LGBTQIA+ content, considered secually explicit.
#1 Most Challenged Book of 2021
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Image depicting the #2 Most Challenged book of 2021: "Lawn Boy" for LGBTQIA+ content, considered secually explicit.
#2 Most Challenged Book of 2021
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Image depicting the #3 Most Challenged book of 2021: "All Boys Aren't Blue" for LGBTQIA+ content, profanity, considered secually explicit.
#3 Most Challenged Book of 2021
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Image depicting the #4 Most Challenged book of 2021: "Out of Darkness" for depictions of abuse, considered sexually explicit
#4 Most Challenged Book of 2021
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Image depicting the #5 Most Challenged book of 2021: "The Hate U Give" for profanity, violence, considered anti-police, "indoctrination of a social agenda"
#5 Most Challenged Book of 2021
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Image depicting the #6 Most Challenged book of 2021: "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" for profanity, sexual references, use of derogatory terms
#6 Most Challenged Book of 2021
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Image depicting the #7 Most Challenged book of 2021: "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" for considered sexually explicit and degrading to women
#7 Most Challenged Book of 2021
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Image depicting the #8 Most Challenged book of 2021: "The Bluest Eye" for depiction of child sexual abuse, considered sexually explicit
#8 Most Challenged Book of 2021
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Image depicting the #9 Most Challenged book of 2021: "This Book Is Gay" for LGBTQIA+ content, providing sexual education
#9 Most Challenged Book of 2021
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Image depicting the #10 Most Challenged book of 2021: "Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out" for LGBTQIA+ content, considered secually explicit
#10 Most Challenged Book of 2021
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Library Social Shareables

Graphic of a colorful flock of birds soaring over a background of a pile of open books. Text reads: "This Library Celebrates Banned Books Week, September 18-24, 2022. American Library Association. ala.org/bbooks
This Library Celebrates
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Graphic of a colorful bird flying out of an open cage over a background of a pile of open books. Text reads "This Banned Books Week...Read a Banned Book!" ala.org/bbooks. American Library Association.
Read a Banned Book!
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Graphic of a colorful bird flying out of an open cage over a background of a pile of open books. Text reads "We Read Banned Books" American Library Association. ala.org/bbooks
We Read Banned Books
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