Censorship on the Rise: The Record Number of Book Challenges in 2022

Censorship by the Numbers

Introduction:

ALA has compiled data on book challenges from reports filed by library professionals and news stories published throughout the United States. In 2022, ALA documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources, the highest number since ALA began compiling data over 20 years ago. Most of the targeted titles were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community or by and about Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color.

Record the number of book challenges.

• ALA documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, nearly double the 729 book challenges reported in 2021.
• 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship in 2022, a 38% increase from the 1,858 unique titles in 2021.
• Majority of targeted titles about LGBTQIA+ or BIPOC individuals
• The vast majority of the challenged titles in 2022 were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community or by and about Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color.

Who initiates challenges?

• In 2022, 90% of reported book challenges demanded censoring multiple titles.
• 40% of those demands sought to remove or restrict more than 100 books simultaneously.
• Growing, well-organized conservative political movement
• The number of challenges and the list of the Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022 indicate a growing, well-organized conservative political movement to remove books about race, history, gender identity, sexuality, and reproductive health from public and school libraries.

Conclusion:

In 2022, there was a record number of book challenges in the United States, with the majority of targeted titles written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community or by and about Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color. The surge in challenges is evidence of a growing, well-organized conservative political movement seeking to remove books that do not meet their approval from America's public and school libraries.