Book banning efforts have doubled in Virginia so far this year
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It's shaping up to be a big year for the number of books some groups are attempting to restrict access to in Virginia libraries and schools.
Driving the news: 356 unique book titles were challenged across Virginia in the first eight months of 2023, according to preliminary data from the American Library Association.
- That's nearly twice the 182 titles that came under fire in the state in 2022, which was double the previous year's number, according to the data.
Why it matters: Before 2021, the association reports that most challenges to library books were brought by a parent over a particular book. But in 2022 and 2023, it estimated that 90% of book challenges have been to multiple titles.
- This is evidence, the association said, of a "growing, well-organized conservative" movement that is broadly distributing lists to supporters to file mass challenges.
And public libraries appear to be the next frontier in the book banning movement that started in school libraries during the pandemic, according to ALA.
- In the first eight months of this year, 49% of book challenges were aimed at public libraries versus 16% in the same period in 2022, per ALA.
Zoom in: Samuels Public Library in Northern Virginia is the first public library in the state to be facing a possible shutdown as part of the nationwide book bans, according to the Washington Post.
- Conservative activists turned their attention to children's access to LGBTQ+ books in the Front Royal library this spring, holding book-challenging events and flooding the library staff with 700 forms contesting 141 books.
- The Samuels Public Library, which is governed by a nonprofit board, tried to compromise by adding parental controls to library cards and moving some books to a "New Adult" section, but the group of activists instead pushed for county control over the library.
- The county board of supervisors voted this summer to withhold 75% of the library's funding until it removes the challenged books, after facing pressure from the group.
The latest: The library was set to run out of funds at the end of the month, but the county agreed to release money after a closed-door meeting this week with the library board, per the Washington Post.
- It now has enough funds to remain open through the end of the year, at least for now.
What we're watching: Hanover County, which this summer appointed two new members to its regional library board. The move came a month after its school board voted to give itself more control over school libraries (and promptly removed 19 books from shelves).