In 2022, the American Library Association tracked 1,269 challenges to library, school, and university materials and services, resulting in more than 2,571 unique titles being challenged or removed. This is the highest number of attempted book bans on record, nearly doubling from the previous year, which itself was a record-breaking year for book bans.

Every year, the ALA's list of the most frequently challenged books carries a common theme: they are titles that give a voice to historically marginalized perspectives and underrepresented people. While young adult titles are still the most frequently challenged, many books that are written for adult audiences are also being impacted. Novels like Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye have been on book-banning lists for decades, while N.K. Jemisin's novel The City We Became is a more recent example. Even history books like the 1619 Project are targeted by censors.

The RHEC Library would like to reaffirm its commitment to the Library Bill of Rights, Intellectual Freedom, and the freedom to read. Free access to information and the ability to communicate and learn freely is essential to our democracy and for maintaining a free society. We urge the RHEC community to resist censorship, support librarians and educators, and celebrate your own right to read.

This month, we're displaying just a fraction of titles in our collection that have been challenged, censored, or banned at some point in the United States. Check out the list -- many of them may surprise you!