Censorship efforts at libraries continued to soar in 2023, according to a new report

By HILLEL ITALIE
AP National Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Bannings and attempted bannings of books continue to hit record highs. That’s according to a new report from the American Library Association. On Thursday, the ALA announced that 4,240 works in schools and libraries had been targeted. It’s a substantial hike from the 2,571 books of 2022. And it’s the most the library association has ever tallied. Continuing recent trends, many of the books being challenged – 47% – have LGBTQ and racial themes. Censorship efforts are often aimed at dozens or even hundreds of books at a time, reflecting the influence of such conservative organizations as Moms for Liberty.