"The classroom was a jail of other people's interests. The library was open, unending, free." ― Ta-Nehisi Coates 

Banned Books are books that have been restricted from public use, whether legally or by other means. Book banning is a form of censorship, and it often occurs on religious, political, or moral grounds. In the year 2025, the United States had its highest number of book bans on record, with 5,668 book titles banned from libraries Censorship by the Numbers: Banned Books Data.

Banned Books Week is an annual event sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA). It celebrates the freedom to read and strives to promote awareness around book bans. In honor of this year's Banned Books Week, which takes place October 4 - 10, we have compiled a selection of banned books in our collection, as well as some online resources on book banning.