Blog by Kate Alessandri
AC Library invites the community to celebrate the Freedom to Read Day of Action on Saturday, October 19!
Book ban attempts have soared in the past four years to record highs, with the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom reporting "4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship, as well as 1,247 demands to censor library books, materials, and resources in 2023.” In public libraries alone, book bans rose 92% last year.
While many see book banning as targeting adult titles or well-known classics, many of today’s book bans are targeting authors and books you may never have heard of, and many are aimed at picture books for young children.
The Freedom to Read Day of Action is a call to do something tangible to defend books from censorship – by calling or writing representatives, supporting local advocacy, or spreading the word about the harm that book bans cause. This couldn't come at a more crucial time, as book bans increasingly threaten the diversity of voices and perspectives in literature. AC Library unites with readers across the country to support the freedom to read—a fundamental American right guaranteed by the Constitution and essential to our democracy.
Check out our featured book lists and join us in defending the right to explore, imagine, and create without limits!
Add a comment to: Freedom to Read Day of Action – A Movement to Preserve Diverse Voices and Authors