Banned Books   Tags: banned books, challenged books, general interest  

This image appears on the ALA Banned Books website.

What are challenged or banned books?

According to the American Library Association, a challenged book is a book that someone has attempted to remove or restrict. A banned book is a book that has been removed from a collection.

The banning and challenging of books has a long history throughout the world. Hundreds of books are challenged and banned each year in the United States alone. The American Library Association keeps statistics on those incidents which are forwarded to the ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom.

Who challenges books the most in our country?

Parents are by far the largest group to request a book removed from a school library or reading list, or from the shelves of a public library. For a breakdown of groups that challenge the rights of individuals to read books, see this chart from the American Library Association:

• Number of Challenges by Year, Reason, Initiator & Institution (1990 - 2010)

Why are books challenged or banned?

Books can be challenged or banned for many reasons. Sexually explicit material tops the lists of reasons that books have been challenged or banned. Other reasons include obscene language offensive language, unsuitable for age level, homosexuality, racism, politics and religion.

In the United States, your right to read what you want is protected by the First Amendment. In a free society, the author and reader are protected. Read more about this at:

• American Library Association Library Bill of Rights

Below is a list of notable First Amendment Cases:

• Notable First Amendment Court Cases

Here are other resources of interest on this topic:

• First Amendment Resources Compiled by the American Library Association
• Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute Bill of Rights
• Southern Illinois University School of Law Library about Banned Books
• First Amendment Center Banned Books
• Banned Books Available Online