To learn more about the history and present status book bans, challenges, and censorship – and how they harm young people’s growth, freedom, and intellectual development – please read through the resources below.
Banned book quiz from the ACLU
Can you guess what all of these books have in common? That’s right – they’ve recently been banned from various schools and libraries across the country.
Right now, educators and students are settling into their classrooms for the new school year and, in many places, they are facing increased restrictions on which lessons they can teach and books they can read.
Attempts to censor what schools can teach about race, sexuality, gender, and more are on the rise – from book bans to silencing classroom conversations.
| Test your knowledge by taking our Banned Books Quiz today.(Please note: this link takes you to a third-party website, signforgood.com) |
Banned and challenged books database
PEN America has created a searchable database of banned and challenged books.
The ACLU of Washington provides information on the history of book banning and current efforts to prevent it in Washington State
3 Million Reads challenge from King County Library System
Fun community challenge to record 3 million minutes of reading in 2024. Help us reach the goal!
Pen America provides an overview of school book bans and their impact on intellectual freedom.
The film The Librarians documents the fight of librarians to preserve intellectual freedom in America. Find it on a streaming service or try to schedule a screening near you!
To learn more about the First Amendment that protects intellectual freedom, visit the First Amendment Museum’s Must Read page
Book Banning in the United States and Beyond
Harvard University provides a research guide on book banning
This episode from the Bookaholic podcast offers PEN/America’s ideas for confronting book bans .
Books Unbanned cards from The Seattle Public Library
Teens and young adults from anywhere in the U.S. can apply for card and access the library’s entire collection of e-books and audiobooks.
Read Banned Books 