Massachusetts libraries saw dozens of book ban attempts in 2023
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Massachusetts libraries faced dozens of book ban attempts in 2023, according to new data from the American Library Association.
Why it matters: Even liberal Massachusetts isn't immune to attempts to ban books that opponents argue are inappropriate for children — often books that center LGBTQ+ people or people of color.
Zoom in: Massachusetts schools and public libraries reported 37 book ban attempts involving 63 titles last year.
- Book ban attempts are down from 2022, but the number of titles challenged is up, per the ALA.
- The most targeted title in Massachusetts was, "Gender Queer: A Memoir"
A plainclothes officer searched an eighth grade classroom in Great Barrington for a copy of "Gender Queer" last year after someone complained it had pornographic images.
- The search sparked a walkout at Monument Mountain Regional High School in December, per the Berkshire Eagle.
- The Great Barrington Police Department later apologized for the search.
What they're saying: "Every challenge to a library book is an attack on our freedom to read," says ALA President Emily Drabinski.
- "Libraries that reflect their communities' diversity promote learning and empathy that some people want to hide or eliminate."
Zoom out: The number of books targeted for censorship at U.S. schools and libraries rose 65% in 2023 over 2022, a new record, writes Axios' Jennifer A. Kingson.
- The titles range from newer books with multicultural and LGBTQ+ themes to classics like "Lord of the Flies" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."
- The data doesn't track all book challenges, just those that got media coverage or were reported directly to the ALA.
Between the lines: Opponents of targeted books are going beyond school libraries and putting more pressure on public libraries, Kingson writes.
- The number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries rose by 92%, versus 11% at schools.
- And demands for "censorship of multiple titles, often dozens or hundreds at a time" drove the overall surge, per ALA.