Florida was the state with the highest number of books banned in schools in the United States between July 2023 and June 2024, with a total of 4561 books being banned in that period. Iowa ranked second with 3671 book bans in school classrooms and libraries across the state, followed by Texas with 538. The books most likely to be banned or restricted were those which addressed violence or physical abuse, or health and wellbeing for students. New laws, more bans In the first half of the 2022-2023 school year alone, almost 1,500 books were banned. Just one policy contributing to the growing number of challenges to books in schools is Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, otherwise known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which aims to prevent classroom instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation for children from kindergarten up to grade three. This law, along with several others introduced in states across the United States, are often worded in a manner which is vague or non-specific, leaving librarians, educators, and principals under pressure to swiftly or preemptively remove books on a larger scale (so-called “wholesale bans”) to prevent punishment later. In Utah, after the Sensitive Materials in Schools Act went into effect, school districts were issued guidance to remove any books that are defined as pornography under state statute, which led to the removal of books including Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Forever…” by Judy Blume. Indeed, school libraries were the second most likely location to be affected by censorship attempts on books. The audiences most affected by bans In the last half of 2022, most book titles banned in schools in the United States were young adult books aimed at teenagers aged 13 to 17 years old. Over 50 percent of titles banned in that period were intended for this audience.

The statistic illustrates the most frequently challenged book titles in the United States between January 1, 2013 and August 6, 2014. In that time the novel 'The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian' by Sherman Alexie, aimed at young adults and originally published in September 2007, received nine challenges.

The statistic illustrates the most frequently challenged authors in the United States between January 1, 2013 and August 6, 2014. In that time Dav Pilkey - the author of the 'Captain Underpants' series (which contains ten titles) - received 21 challenges.

As of February 10, 2025, the majority of the transgender population aged 13 and over in the United States were living in a state with no ban on transgender people's use of bathrooms or facilities. However, 10 percent of the transgender population were living in a state which banned transgender people from using bathrooms and facilities consistent with their gender identity in K-12 schools only, while eight percent were living in a state which banned transgender people from using bathrooms and facilities corresponding to their gender identity in all government-owned buildings and spaces, including schools, colleges, and more. A further seven percent were living in a state which restricted transgender people from using bathrooms and facilities consistent with their gender identity in K-12 schools and at least some government-owned buildings as well. Anti-education legislation Statewide legislation affecting LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. has been on the rise recently, especially in K-12 schools. Many states have taken legal action to restrict schools from teaching topics of racism, sexism, gender identity, sexual orientation, and systemic inequality to students. However, studies show that Americans typically remain politically divided over how these topics should be taught; in 2022, the majority of Democratic parents were found to believe that children should be taught that the legacy of slavery still affects the position of Black people in American society today while the majority of Republican parents thought that children should be taught that slavery is a part of American history but does not affect the position of Black people in American society today. Book bans Censorship of these topics has also been seen in K-12 libraries, with book bans occurring in multiple states throughout the country. As of 2022, Texas had the highest number of books banned in the U.S., followed by Florida. Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act, which is often referred to as the "Don't Say Gay" law, has been particularly controversial as it aims to prevent discussion of gender identity or sexual orientation and remove books featuring LGBTQ+ characters in K-12 schools and libraries. Along with potentially harming LGBTQ+ students, K-12 teachers have also highlighted how these laws and debates over what topics should be taught in the classroom may negatively impact their ability to do their job.

This spreadsheet contributes to a new bibliography of censored books under the Portuguese Estado Novo dictatorial regime.

It contains the transcription of the data fields of 1,015 card files of censored books, which are indexed by author surname in letters A and B. These files are available at the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, in Lisbon, Portugal (PT/TT/SNI-DSC/7, "Fichas de Autores de Obras Proibidas e Autorizadas", https://digitarq.arquivos.pt/details?id=4326912).

The card files document data about the books censored by the Estado Novo Censorship Commission (1934-74). Data fields include file number, book report number, decision, date, author, title, origin, destination, observations, notices, and author or book process number.

All card files have been photographed from very poor-quality photocopies and manually transcribed by Álvaro Seiça during 2020/21. Letters C-Z are ongoing work and will be added to this dataset.

This project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 793147, ARTDEL.

More info at https://artdel.net

In 2023, 4,240 unique titles were challenged in the United States, of which 39 percent occurred in school libraries. Meanwhile, five percent of challenges made to books in 2023 happened in schools. Censorship attempts were made for a number of reasons, with individuals and institutions taking issue with books that were considered to be anti-police, profane, sexually explicit, or homophobic, to name but a few.

Libraries have a long and storied history, dating back thousands of years to the legendary Library of Alexandria. Even in today's digital age, they act as vital public institutions that provide free access to costly information and resources, contributing significantly to community development and literacy. Since library benefits are distributed as externalities across the community, funding for libraries primarily comes from local government sources, such as property taxes. However, budgets are often under pressure due to shifting priorities. Libraries have sought alternative funding sources like grants, donations and partnerships with private entities. Despite diverse funding, libraries struggle with underutilization and competition from substitutes. Over the past five years, industry revenue growth has wavered, dipping at a CAGR of 2.1% to a total of $2.5 billion in 2024, with inflation burning any excess profit down to 3.4% and revenue falling 3.0% in the most recent twelve months. Libraries serve a diverse market, including students, researchers, entrepreneurs and the general public, disproportionately benefitting financially challenged communities. They offer services beyond book lending, like access to digital resources, educational programs and community events. The emergence and surge in popularity of digital technology have also expanded the library's role. It now provides access to e-books, online databases and physical technology like desktops and mobile hotspots. Cultural shifts toward rapid digital information consumption pose challenges and opportunities for libraries. Intellectual property laws affect how libraries can provide access to copyrighted materials. In response to this challenge, libraries have advocated for fair use policies and open access initiatives, particularly after COVID shut down access to physical book lending. Libraries are also adapting by investing in digital infrastructure and enhancing their online presence, often partnering with private companies to build online platforms and taking pages from entertainment competitors like Netflix and Audible. Some libraries are evolving into community hubs or maker (3d printing) spaces. Still, the high cost of these transitions is challenging, and revenue is poised to continue its downward trend, sliding at a CAGR of 2.1% to $2.2 billion through the end of 2029.