NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT: Cathy Leiber
Banned Books Week Shines Spotlight on Threats to First Amendment
Judith’s Reading Room Works to Defend Each Person’s Right to Read
September 20, 2024 — The American Library Association will highlight the dramatic increase in threats against First Amendment rights during its annual Banned Books Week celebration this year, scheduled for September 22-28, 2024.
Judith’s Reading Room, a global literacy nonprofit founded in 2010 in the memory of Judith F. Krug, a distinguished librarian, supports the right to read and freedom through literacy. Judith F. Krug, cousin to the founders of Judith’s Reading Room, served as the ALA’s Director, Office for Intellectual Freedom for 40 years and in that capacity, she founded Banned Books Week in 1982.
The American Library Association condemns censorship and works to defend each person’s right to read under the First Amendment and to ensure free access to information. According to the ALA, the number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries increased by 92% over the previous year.
The Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2023 were:
- Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe. Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content
- All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson. Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content
- This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson. Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Challenged for sexually explicit, LGBTQIA+ content
- Flamer by Mike Curato. Challenged for LGBTIA+ content
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Challenged for rape, incest, sexually explicit
7/8. (Tie) Me and Earl & The Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews. Challenged for sexually explicit and profanity
7/8. (Tie) Tricks by Ellen Hopkins. Challenged for sexually explicit, drugs, rape, LGBTQIA+ content
9. Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex by Erika Moen & Matthew Nolan. Challenged for sexually explicit, sex education
10. Sold by Patricia McCormick. Challenged for sexually explicit and rape.
The public is reminded to stand up against bullies who want to tell you what to read. In 1982 Judith Krug staunchly defended everyone’s right to read and said, “no one has the right to tell us what we can or cannot read.” Please support everyone’s freedom to read under the protection of the First Amendment , visit your local library and thank your librarian and library workers who confront people attempting to remove materials from libraries.
Judith’s Reading Room, a 501 (c) 3, established in 2010, has dedicated 107 libraries in 24 countries with over 133,000 donated books valued at more than $1.4 million. The organization recognizes individual champions of literacy through its ‘Freedom Through Literacy’ Award that has distributed $58,100 to 71 individuals in 18 countries.
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