On April 20, the American Library Association (ALA) released its State of America’s Libraries 2026 report, an annual snapshot of library trends. The report is published during National Library Week, this year taking place April 19–25.
As in recent years, the 2026 report documents censorship in libraries from the previous year. In 2025, ALA recorded 713 attempts to censor library materials and services, of which 487 attempts targeted books. This is a decrease from the 821 attempts that were recorded in 2024. However, 4,235 unique titles were banned or challenged at public, school, and university libraries. This figure is second only to the 4,240 unique titles challenged in 2023.
The report includes a list of the 11 Most Targeted Titles in 2025:
1. Sold by Patricia McCormick
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
3. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
4. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
5. (tie) Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
5. (tie) Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
7. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
8. (tie) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
8. (tie) Identical by Ellen Hopkins
8. (tie) Looking for Alaska by John Green
8. (tie) Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Nearly all of the censorship attempts recorded in 2025—92%—were initiated by pressure groups, government officials, and decision makers. That number has grown sharply in recent years, from 72% in 2024 and 35% in 2023. Fewer than 3% of challenges in 2025 came from individuals.
“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 ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, in an April 20 statement. “They were part of a well-funded, politically driven campaign to suppress the stories and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals and communities.”
According to the report, the most common reasons for book challenges were false claims of illegal obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters or themes; inclusion of topics on race, racism, equity, and social justice; and presenting political or religious views with which the challengers disagreed.
ALA also announced that the theme for Banned Books Week 2026 will be “Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read.” This year, Banned Books Week will take place October 4–10.
