Banned and Censored Media
Lists from the American Library Association
The American Library Association (ALA) maintains a useful website of Banned & Challenged Books. It answers the questions such as to, "What is the difference between a challenge and a banning?" and "Why are books challenged?" It includes lists of banned book by author, by year, and by decade. There is also a link to statistics.
Each Year the ALA celebrates Banned Books Week:
"Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States."
Lists compiled by the ALA:
- Censorship by the Numbers (ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom)
- Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2023
- Top 100 Challenged/Banned Books list for the years 2010 through 2019.
- Most Frequently Challenged Authors of the 21st Century
- 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books: by decade
- Number of Challenges by Year, Reason, Initiator & Institution (1990-1999 & 2000-2009)
Guidance for Librarians
- Defending Intellectual Freedom: LGBTQ+ Materials in School Libraries(PDF). The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has released a new resource guide to support school librarians addressing challenges related to censorship and patron privacy issues, particularly with LGBTQ+ materials. “Defending Intellectual Freedom: LGBTQ+ Materials in School Libraries” contains resources, links, and activities scaffolded by the newly released AASL “National School Library Standards.”
Banned books : challenging our freedom to read by Call Number: General Stacks Z658.U6 D692 2010ISBN: 9780838985472Publication Date: 2010Part 1. Introduction. How it all began ; How to use this book -- Part 2. Insight. The challenge of censorship -- Part 3. Interpretation. The First Amendment ; The freedom of expression ; The freedom to read -- Part 4. Information. First Amendment timeline ; First Amendment court cases ; First Amendment glossary and acronyms ; First Amendment bibliography ; First Amendment quotations -- Part 5. Ideas. Celebration guide ; Communication guide -- Part 6. Incidents. Top ten challenged books of 2009 ; Challenged or banned books ; Title index ; Topical index ; Geographical index.
Includes indexes.
