Banned Books Week 2024
- Bookstore1Sarasota
- Sep 16, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 17, 2024
Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. The annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information. It brings together the entire book community - librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types - supporting the freedom to seek and express ideas. By focusing on efforts nationwide to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.
PEN America defines a school book ban as any action taken against a book based on its content and as a result of parent or community challenges, administrative decisions, or in response to direct or threatened action by lawmakers or other government officials that leads to a previous accessible book being either completely removed from availability to students, or where access to a book is restricted or diminished.
In 2023, the American Library Association (ALA) documented the highest number of titles targeted for censorship since it started compiling data more than 20 years ago: 4.240 unique titles were banned or challenged last year, up from 2,571 in 2022. That's a 65% increase.
In the first half of the last school year, Florida had the highest number of bans compared to other states. Of the total instances of book bans from July to December of last year, 3,135 impacted school districts in Florida (followed by Wisconsin, which had 481 bans; Iowa, with 142 bans; and Texas, with 141 bans).
This year we have put together a collection of special Banned Books Week Bundles for you to expand your knowledge of these threatened works.
Banned Book Bundles
Our monthly Banned Book Club, dedicated to reading and protecting the most important and threatened books for our generation, started in June of 2022.
Get the titles from our first year in one bundle!
Catch up by purchasing the books we read last year!
Read the full list of this year's monthly Banned Book Club picks.
Get ahead by purchasing the first six months of next year's monthly Banned Book Club picks!
Celebrate Your Freedom to Read!
This post is a powerful reminder of the importance of intellectual freedom—Banned Books Week continues to shine a light on the voices that challenge, inspire, and provoke thought. Just as access to diverse stories empowers readers to make informed choices, smart online shopping habits—like using curated discount codes—can help people make thoughtful, value-driven decisions in their everyday lives. If you're looking to save while you shop, Coupon Mama UK offers handpicked deals that make each purchase feel like a small act of empowerment.