Skip to Main Content

Banned Books Week

Learn about ALA's Banned Books week

Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week is an annual event of the American Library Association. It celebrates the freedom to read that is protected under the First Amendment, while also bringing awareness and attention to the dangers of censorship by highlighting actual or attempted book bannings that have occurred across the United States, both now and in the past.

 

ALA Banned Books Banner image

Artwork courtesy of the American Library Association

What is a Banned Book

 A banned book is one that has been removed from a library, bookstore, or school collection solely because it is considered to contain controversial content.

Sometimes banned books have even been burned or otherwise forcibly destroyed.  

Banning or challenging a book is considered to be serious matter, because blatant censorship of that type is a violation of our freedom to read.

Banned and Challenged Classics

  Library | Find Library Resources | Hours and Locations | Ask Us/FAQs | Library Guides | About Us | Services