The Alarming Increase of Book Bans in the U.S.

Book bans are on the rise in school districts across the United States, with 1,477 cases of book removals reported by PEN America from July to December 2022, up from 1,149 during the previous six months. The majority of these removals were driven by organized efforts or new legislation. Seven states passed laws last year that impose limits on material in libraries, and this year, 113 bills across the country are being tracked that would negatively impact libraries or curtail people’s freedom to read. The rise of these networks meant that specific books, often titles that center on L.G.B.T.Q. themes or that address racial inequality, were being targeted all over the country.