10/08/2026
Let books be.
Today kicks off , an annual observation started more than 40 years ago in response to a sudden surge in the number of attempts to censor or remove books in libraries, schools, and bookstores. Sound familiar?
Today, libraries continue to face record numbers of challenges to the books on their shelves. And contrary to common narratives suggesting that concerned parents are driving these challenges, data from ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom suggests otherwise – 92% of these challenges came from pressure groups and government officials in 2025.
For this year's Banned Books Week, we remind our communities that a handful of people running organized censorship campaigns should not be allowed to dictate what the rest of us can read, and that the joy and creativity of reading is not only an act of resistance, but a freedom that must be protected.
Find ways to get involved and spread the word, censorship data, and events throughout the week at https://bit.ly/4yvixbB.
