Overview
- The American Library Association, which released its State of America’s Libraries report Monday, logged 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025 and named Patricia McCormick’s Sold as the most targeted, with the annual list expanded to 11 books after a four-way tie.
- The report says bans reached a record 5,668 removals in libraries, with 920 more titles restricted by moving them to different sections or requiring parental permission.
- According to the ALA, 92% of challenges came from pressure groups and government officials, while less than 3% were filed by individual parents.
- About 40% of challenged works centered on LGBTQIA+ people or people of color, and many objections cited queer themes, depictions of sexual violence, or teen drinking and smoking.
- The ALA says its counts likely understate the problem because it relies on media reports and library submissions, and many incidents are never reported.