The American Library Association (ALA) says book bans remain stubbornly high, announcing that 2025 saw the second-highest documented level of book challenges, narrowly missing the top spot recorded in 2023.
The group found as part of its State of America’s Libraries Report that 4,235 unique titles were challenged in 2025, compared to 4,240 in 2023.
ALA defines a challenge as an attempt to restrict access or have a library resource removed based on personal or group objections. A ban is the complete removal of material from a library.
The group listed its top 11 most targeted books, instead of a top 10, as four titles ended in a tie for the eighth position.
The top challenged book was “Sold” by Patricia McCormick. It was followed by “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “Gender Queer: A Memoir,” “Empire of Storms” and tied in fifth place were “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” and “Tricks.”
More than half of the books in the top 11 list are new compared to previous years.
Among the books that were challenged, ALA said 40 percent represented LGBTQ individuals and people of color.
“Libraries exist to make space for every story and every lived experience,” said ALA President Sam Helmick. “As we celebrate National Library Week, we reaffirm that libraries are places for knowledge, for access, and for all.”
Among the challenges, 92 percent were brought by groups or government officials, compared to 3 percent starting from individual parents.
“In 2025, book bans were not sparked by concerned parents, and they were not the result of local grassroots efforts,” said Sarah Lamdan, executive director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. “They were part of a well-funded, politically-driven campaign.”
The group gathers its numbers from news articles and submissions, acknowledging the numbers are likely an undercount.
The nearly record-matching number comes after years of Republican complaints about the type of books in classrooms and school libraries, along with efforts from lawmakers and groups such as Moms for Liberty to remove materials it says is inappropriate for school-aged children.
—Updated at 9:54 a.m. EDT
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