Credit: Terry Ballard on Flickr

New York City’s public libraries are recognizing Banned Books Week this year with a stacked lineup of programs and events. Running from October 5 through 11, the week-long observance arrives amid a continued rise in book censorship. According to the American Library Association (ALA), 2,452 unique titles were challenged in 2024—almost nine times the annual average of 273 titles from 2001 to 2020.

Challenges to book titles rose 65 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, reaching the highest level ever recorded by the ALA. In 2024, most censorship attempts originated from organized movements, including pressure groups and government entities such as elected officials, school board members, and administrators, who accounted for 72 percent of demands to remov

See Full Page