Book Bans on the Rise, but Permanent Removals Decrease in 2024

As Banned Books Week kicks off, both the American Library Association (ALA) and PEN America released reports highlighting a surge in book restrictions across the U.S. public schools and libraries. But, the data shows a notable decrease in permanent book removals compared to last year.

In the first eight months of 2024, the ALA tracked 414 book banning attempts targeting 1,128 individual titles. While that’s down 40% from 2023 (when there were 695 attempts and 1,915 titles targeted), the numbers are still much higher than they were just a few years ago. Plus, the ALA suggests that many bans may go unreported, making the actual numbers likely higher.

The ALA also pointed out a growing trend of “soft censorship,” where books are purchased but hidden away in restricted areas or left off displays. Some are even preemptively excluded from collections due to fears of challenges from organized censorship efforts. This means readers and students may have less access to certain books, even if they’re not officially banned.

PEN America’s report covers books restricted for any length of time, and their preliminary numbers paint an even starker picture. During the 2023-2024 school year, more than 10,000 books were banned, up from 3,362 the previous year. The biggest contributors? States like Florida and Iowa, where new laws have drastically limited what students can read. As laws tighten in states like Utah, South Carolina, and Tennessee, experts expect these numbers to rise further.

PEN plans to release more detailed data later this year, including an analysis of the most commonly targeted books. But one thing is clear—book bans are far from over, and censorship battles are heating up across the country.