Banned Books Week
Be a Banned Book Champion!
We purchased a selection of the top challenged books from the last 20+ years and added them to our D-CORE Collection. We want you to champion a book! Complete the form at the link below to let us know which book you're championing and what the book means to you.
We'd love to share your story with our followers, but we also understand if you would prefer we don't—just let us know in the last question!
Meet the Planning Committee!
Leah Anderson
Salma Berrada El Azizi
Boglarka Huddleston
Sonam Soni
Katie Stinson
Amanda Woodward
Banned Books Week 2023
What is Banned Books Week?
For over 20 years, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has gathered statistics on the books that are challenged across the country. Every Spring, they release a recap of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books. These annual lists–which often feature books that are about minority and LGBTQ+ communities–create awareness about censorship attempts in libraries.
In 2022, there were over 1,200 attempts to ban library materials and over 2,500 books targeted, the highest amount submitted since OIF began tracking (Garcia, 2023).
There were several ties last year, so there are actually 13 Most Challenged Books this year as opposed to the typical Top 10 list. You can check out parts of the book covers in the photo above, and if you want to read one of the titles, you can find them in our catalog using the list below!
American Library Association. (n.d.) Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10
Garcia, R. (2023, March 22) American Library Association reports record number of demands to censor library books and materials in 2022. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10
Join Us the Week of October 1st
If you're on campus and have a Stanford ID, visit Lane Library during Banned Books Week (October 1-7) to participate in banned book-themed activities! Banned Book Week activities include:
- Guess the Book: We'll give you a clue and you have to guess the associated banned book.
- Have You Read These Books?: We'll have a poster with the most challenged books from the last decade; put a little mark next to the books you’ve read. We will have our banned book collection on display in the Duck Room. Check it out and bring one home to read!
- To Ban or Not to Ban Jar: Is there ever a good reason to ban a book? We'll have a jar with marbles, answer anonymously with a marble in a cup marked yes or no. Check in next week to see the results!
- Banned Book Questions: By the Duck Room, we'll have a white board with a series of questions relating to banned books. Share your response(s) on a sticky note. We'll gather the responses and share them the week after!
- Puzzle Time!: We'll have a 500-piece banned book puzzle for you to put together.
Can’t make it to the library? We also have virtual activities! Check back in on this guide, and keep an eye on our social media pages for images and recaps!
Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2023
#1
Gender Queer by Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images
#2
All Boys Aren't Blue by Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, profanity, and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
#3
The Bluest Eye by Reasons: Banned and challenged because it depicts child sexual abuse and was considered sexually explicit
#4
Flamer by Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
#5
Looking for Alaska by Reasons: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Reasons: depiction of sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit
#7
Lawn Boy by Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
#8
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references and use of a derogatory term
#9
Out of Darkness by Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
#10
A Court of Mist and Fury by Reasons: claimed to be sexually explicit
Crank by Reasons: drug use, claimed to be sexually explicit
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women
This Book Is Gay by Reasons: Banned, challenged, relocated, and restricted for providing sexual education and LGBTQIA+ content
