There were more books “targeted for censorship” in the United States in 2023 than before, according to a study released Thursday from the American Library Association.
Politico reported there were 4,240 books in both school and public libraries that were proposed to be banned.
This was a 65% increase from 2022.
The biggest target was public libraries, who saw a 92% increase in the number of titles targeted. This compares to an 11% increase at school libraries.
“The reports from librarians and educators in the field make it clear that the organized campaigns to ban books aren’t over, and that we must all stand together to preserve our right to choose what we read,” Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the organization’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, said in a statement.
The most likely books to be targeted are those involving LGBTQ+ and minority communities. They accounted for 47% of the titles targeted, Politico reported.
