New York – Eliminating books from the library shelves is no longer just a story of objections from a local community or an individual father, the American Library Association says.
In its new report of the State of American libraries published on Monday, the wing found that more than 70% of the prohibitions attempted to a certain title or titles come from organized groups and elected officials, and only 16% originated with a father.
The most commonly criticized books, including “Queer Gender” by Maia Kobabe and The late Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye”, can be found on websites as www.ratedbooks.org and through lists compiled by Moms for Liberty and other conservative activists.
“We can track many of the challenges for book lists that have been distributed by Moms for Liberty and other groups,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, who directs the office of the Association for Intellectual Freedom.
As part of its annual report, the wing released its list of the 10 “most challenged books” of 2024, starting with “All Boys N ‘and Boys Blue” by George M. Johnson, and also with “Queer genre”, “The Bluest Eye”, Stephen Chbosky “The Perks of Being A Wallflower” and “Look for Alaska” by John Green. ”
Most of the books have LGBTQ+themes, which continue a trend of years. Other objections include references to drug addiction, as in “Crank” by Ellen Hopkins and slavery and sexual abuse, including those of Patricia McCormick.
The wing defines a challenge as a “formal and written complaint presented to a library or school that requests that the materials be eliminated due to content or suitability.” The association, which compiles censorship data through media accounts and reports of librarians, has long believed that the real number of challenges is much higher than the numbers cited in their annual studies.
The report comes at an especially dangerous moment for libraries. The Trump administration is implementing drastic cuts in The Museum and Library Services Institutewhich is already canceling subsidies to state libraries.
The prohibitions have It emerged in recent years And several states, from Texas and Florida to Iowa and Utah, have approved laws that restrict what school libraries can acquire. While the Wing reports a strong drop in challenges in 2024, up to 821 attempts compared to 1,247 the previous year, the number remains much higher than before 2021.
And Caldwell-Stone does not believe that censorship is decreasing. Libraries are now more likely to avoid storing books that are controversial or may be prohibited by law, she says.
“I talked to a Texas librarian who told me that I was reviewing a political book and that I was not sure if I could add it to the collection,” Caldwell-Stone said. “Librarians do not want to be prosecuted or face legal problems. Many librarians are operating under these types of threats.”
1. “All the boys are not blue”, by George M. Johnson
2. “Queer Gender”, by Maia Kobabe
3. (tie) “The Bluest Eye”, by Toni Morrison
3. (tie) “The advantages of being an Alhelí”, by Stephen Chbosky
5. “Tricks” by Ellen Hopkins
6. (tie) “Looking Alaska”, by John Green
6. (tie) “Me and Earl and The Dying Girl”, by Jesse Andrews
8. (tie) “Crank” by Ellen Hopkins
8. (tie) “Sold”, by Patricia McCormick
10. “Flamer” by Mike Curato
