Banned and Challenged Books

This guide provides:

• A brief introduction of banned books week, book challenges, and bans

• A selection of materials available via the Jim Dan Hill Library including

  • Books that have been banned or challenged

  • Perspectives on book bans or challenges

  • Histories and analyses of book bans or literature censorship

• Suggestions for additional resources to aid research and instruction

• Navigational and search suggestions for location of additional materials

• See anything of interest? Want another guide on a given topic? Complete our short survey!

According to the American Library Association's (ALA) Office of Intellectual Freedom, in 2023, 4,240 book titles held in libraries were challenged. This means individuals or groups submitted titles or lists of titles to be removed or "banned" from circulation or holdings. This is the highest number of individual book titles challenged within a single year in ALA's records. Most of the titles targeted were by or about BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ persons. Book bans resulting from book challenges are a form of censorship. Censorship creates boundaries, but the ideas and characters portrayed by books can free imagination, inspire creativity, and foster connections. 

The Jim Dan Hill Library and the Markwood CLIC affirm a commitment to:

• being open-minded to other’s views and learning from them 

• encouraging and modeling respect for our diverse community  

• supporting quality course design based on inclusion  

• curating diverse and accessible collections throughout the library

ALA graphics, including those for the "2023 Ten Most-Challenged Books" were sourced from the website of the American Library Association in September, 2024. 

The provided descriptions of all featured titles were drawn from publishers' descriptions

This LibGuide was created by A Barbour, in collaboration with the Library Team at the JDHL, Fall 2024

Suggestions for additional sources are welcomed and can be sent to askref@uwsuper.edu.