Something noteworthy about the annual lists from the American Library Association (ALA) and PEN America that highlight the most challenged and banned book titles from the previous year is this: those lists may look similar year to year, but you’ll notice that there are titles that show up one year and never show up again, or they fall down the list. These tend to be newer titles published in the 2020s, as opposed to the older titles, published 20 or more years ago. There are two reasons for this.

The first reason is that there are more copies of those older titles in libraries. School libraries do not purchase newer titles as quickly as public libraries, due to tighter budgets and less staff time devoted to collection management. So when newer book titles are banned, they’re just gone. This is why a book like Last Night at the Telegraph Club appeared on PEN America’s most banned list in the 2024-2025 school year but is not there in the 2025-2026 school year.

The second reason is that what ALA and PEN count differs. ALA counts challenges. That is, books that have seen complaints brought, formally or informally, in all types of libraries. PEN, on the other hand, specifically counts bans–defined as the removal of a book from where it once was, including during a formal review process–and it focuses exclusively on schools. This narrows the pool of titles, and even though we know that what starts in schools makes its way to public libraries, schools are still the primary place for book censorship right now.

So, going back to the example of Last Night at the Telegraph Club, its disappearance from PEN’s count isn’t because it was targeted less. It’s simply gone from the schools where it was banned. The title remains among the most challenged in America, per ALA’s numbers from the last year.

All of that is a pretext for discussing what’s happening in libraries with Banned Books Week. Sitting at the convergence of out-loud book bans and quiet censorship is the outright and implied ending of book displays, events, programs, and discussions of book censorship during the American Library Association’s annual Banned Books Week. Last fall, numerous library workers across the country reported on the banning of Banned Books Week in their institutions. When surveyed this year, responses were similar; however, fewer respondents indicated that Banned Books Week was suppressed in 2026. There were a couple–in one specific state, thanks to one specific law–but most of the responses talked about how the annual public awareness campaign disappeared from their libraries over the last few years as book bans rose astronomically across the country.

“Ban,” in the context of banning Banned Books Week, is used to describe the intentional removal or change of the week from how it once was. Some libraries have never highlighted Banned Books Week, or have chosen to highlight book censorship under another name, such as Freedom to Read Week. Those are not considered “bans” on the week unless it was clear that the intent was to ban discussions of banned books, which has been done through the intentional rebranding of Banned Books Week to Freedom to Read Week. Libraries that have run Banned Books Week displays, programming, or other events in the past but have intentionally chosen not to do so this year are being discussed.

A Slew of Anti-Library Laws in Texas

This year’s survey included responses from library workers in 11 states, with Texas represented in five responses; three of those Texas respondents worked in academic libraries. This isn’t entirely surprising, given that Texas respondents noted that the state’s increasing pressure on public institutions to bow to anti-DEI initiatives arising within state and federal legislation. Specific bills were cited as the reason for the ending of Banned Books Week in Texas libraries, including Senate Bill 13–the same bill responsible for mass book bans in public schools statewide in 2025. Senate Bill 13 accelerated the use of Artificial Intelligence to remove books, so it’s little surprise the same bill is pointed to for the end of Banned Books Week.

“It’s more of a general policy now that we not do any displays highlighting materials the state, county, and city officials would find objectionable in the wake of SB 13,” said one Texas librarian. Senate Bill 13 is but one of the laws ending not only Banned Books Week, but celebrations of any affinity group. “[G]iven the tendency of our administrators to self-censor and go further than the law requires it was suggested that we might not want to call undo attention to our collection’s content with a banned books display as this might be seen as “promoting” objectionable books to minors under the current laws. This would be Texas SB 412, which removes the affirmative defense to prosecution language from Section 43.24 (c) of the Texas Penal Code, which deals with providing harmful materials to minors. In short, if someone decides a librarian gave a minor an obscene book, they can face charges of grooming in open court and be convicted of a felony.”

That same librarian cited Texas Senate Bill 17, Prohibition of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Activities, noting that the academic institution where they’re employed disbanded student organizations, including its LGBTQ+ Alliance and Black Veterans group. The fear is that even acknowledging awareness weeks or months could cause the institution to lose state funding.

A public academic librarian in Texas also referenced SB 17 as the reason for their school’s cessation of Banned Books Week. The ban began two years ago via the administration, which emphasized that such displays could lead to the school losing state funding. The ban extends beyond Banned Books Week. It includes cultural heritage months and celebrations, such as Black History Month, Latine Heritage Month, Día de los Muertos, and others. Though that librarian isn’t aware of any books being removed from the institution, librarians are “encouraged to self regulate on purchasing,” and the dean must approve all displays.

Another academic librarian in Texas noted that their institution requested a change to Banned Books Week this August, amidst planning from an interdepartmental committee. The request focused on the potential for complaints to arise and the administration’s desire to remain under the radar of state officials. The committee was asked to rebrand the awareness week as “Freedom to Read” week to avoid controversy over the term “banned books,” and they were told to remove any references to the American Library Association.

“We would still host our in-person event but rebranded as the Freedom to Read. The link to our LibGuide would retain the “bannedbooksweek” URL name, but the title of the LibGuide would also change to “Freedom to Read.” We were asked to completely eliminate any references to the American Library Association, despite the ALA being the primary organizers of this yearly event. We could mention statistics in the LibGuide, but without linking to the ALA website or using any of the ALA’s official graphics,” the librarian explained. “Our committee chair stated that we needed to remove ALA references from our promotional materials, and we need to avoid referencing triggering subjects when it comes to our activities. I am the primary LibGuide editor, and this directive was entirely too vague for me. After clarification, I was explicitly told to remove any books with LGBTQ+ topics.”

Though displays for Pride were not outright banned, the librarian noted being conscious of the possibility of what could happen under SB 17–they had seen and heard from other academic library colleagues that they’d ended Pride displays in the wake of that law.

In the public library sphere, a Texas librarian noted that no official announcement was made about the end of Banned Books Week at their institution, but it’s well known that it’s a no-go. This is a result of not wanting to catch the attention of government officials and the library’s administration “building trust” with government officials.

“We’ve never been able to celebrate Pride,” wrote the public librarian. “Now, it’s unofficial policy that we’re no longer allowed to put any LGBTQ+ books or any “politically divisive” books on display.”

At another Texas public library, bookmarks and information about banned books–and why talking about such censorship is important–were banned without notice or discussion. The librarian believed this sudden decision resulted from a conservative administration at the institution and conservative leadership in local government.

Compliance In Advance

The thread through the responses from Texas librarians was compliance in advance–to be sure, that’s not librarians electing to do so, but doing so as a result of pressure from administration or local authorities. While it is the duty of library workers to speak up against censorship (see III in the Library Bill of Rights), this ideal isn’t always realistic. In a world where healthcare is tied to full-time employment and the cost of living is astronomical, library workers find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Do they follow the word of their boss and/or local government and keep their jobs, or do they push back and potentially lose their livelihood? It’s an impossible choice that no one can definitively say they know the thing they’d do unless they were right there making that choice. While librarians are winning wrongful termination cases, the cost to go through the judicial process–financially, personally, and otherwise–is often prohibitive.

Throughout the Banned Books Week survey, a common sentiment emerged: the week-long event was outright banned or “disappeared” to avoid drawing attention to the library. This is, of course, the opposite purpose of such a week and the opposite purpose of the library more broadly–and yet, in an era where libraries are easy targets from partisan interests, such compliance is not only necessary, but a desired outcome.

A South Carolina public librarian noted that the decision to end Banned Books Week discussions was made last year by the library’s board of trustees and was communicated via email. The library has seen book censorship, too, with books published for young adults being moved into adult collections. They noted that the institution cannot acknowledge Banned Books Week, nor any week focused on marginalized identities and experiences.

“My branch manager has frequently voiced her concern over not aggravating the community. She’s particularly worried about displaying LGBTQ books, books on sexuality, or books about politics,” said a public librarian in Missouri, whose institution discourages displays, discussions, or programming related to Banned Books Week. While not outright banned, the message is clear enough. “Our system as a whole is more conservative and leadership informally worries about aggravating our board members, who swing more conservative and are not former library workers, but preachers and concerned parents.”

That Missouri librarian noted that their branch was allowed a Pride display this past year, but with many limitations. Leadership needed to approve the display signage, and only one area of the library was allowed to have a display. That is, only adult or juvenile or young adult–not multiple.

Three very different survey responses showcased just how much difference can exist among libraries, even in the same small state. In one Louisiana public library, all Banned Books Week displays were banned as early as 2024 by the director, if not before; this was done to avoid any community reaction. The library prohibits any displays about heritage or celebratory weeks or months, noting that “if we can’t do one, we can’t do all.” That institution experienced nearly a dozen book challenges from one patron in 2024, and many books for children with transgender themes have been relocated to the adult section.

A second Louisiana public librarian explained that their library has never held Banned Books Week events or celebrations, and while it was not policy, it was tacitly understood by staff. The reason? “Administrators over four directors have always felt it provoked the would be banners in the past and now adds fuel to the fire.” That particular library had the rare challenge to materials before 2022, but that year–one where Louisiana was an especially hot area for early book censorship attacks and legislation–the library became “the target of an organized campaign to restrict materials, prevent Pride displays, threaten our funding, and discredit librarians.”

That library worker noted that the current board, which replaced the board that experienced mass targeting in 2022, does not consider the restriction of materials censorship. Administration would see acknowledging an event like Banned Books Week as a challenge, and staff are fearful for their jobs were they to create a display or offer any discussion about it at all. Pride displays were also tacitly banned the same year.

Meanwhile, at another Louisiana public library, the library worker responded to the survey quite simply: “We did not have anything cut or canceled.”

Library workers in Florida and Alaska also indicated that Banned Books Week had been prohibited at their respective public libraries. County administrators informed the Florida library that they could have no activities, displays, or events related to the week beginning in 2024; Pride, too, has been off the table there since 2023. Similarly, the librarian in Alaska noted that their borough administrator and mayor prohibited Banned Books Week “many years ago.” That library is located in a community which has been particularly plagued by book censorship for years–both at the public and school libraries.

What’s Happening in “Freedom to Read” Law States

Thirteen states have passed “Freedom to Read” laws as of summer 2026. These laws vary by state and offer different levels of protection and recourse regarding the removal of books from libraries. But one thing they suggest, whether or not they have actual teeth to pursue action in the wake of targeted book bans, is that state leaders are paying attention to what’s happening in libraries.

Two library workers in Maryland–perhaps the only state with such legislation that has a mechanism to halt book bans at this point, as seen through multiple actions taken in the last couple of weeks–noted that their public libraries are prohibited from Banned Books Week events and displays.

“There is to be no recognition of it whatsoever, and staff are forbidden to do anything that would support a controversial book,” said one librarian. The other librarian noted that, “We can talk about freedom to read, but cannot use the word banned, banned books, etc.”

Both librarians, in their respective libraries, noted working in conservative areas, and both said that county commissioners were where the directive originated. At one library, heritage month and celebration displays are not allowed. At the other, they are, but the methods by which they can be made waters them down.

“We didn’t have Pride month. We had ‘Diversity’ month, in which books about all minorities were displayed,” they wrote. Librarians took down displays on May 31 that highlighted Jewish American and Asian American Pacific Islander Month and “put them back up June 1 but with And Tango Makes Three and a couple of Black History books thrown in.”

That librarian note that they were fired for pushing back on book censorship, including the way their library asked them to paperclip pages together to hide certain content, moving books for children into the middle grade section, and shelving picture books about race, gender, or sexual minority experiences into a category of books designated for parents and children to discuss together–located in a low traffic back corner of the children’s area.

“It’s cultural,” the librarian wrote. “A new hire will wear a banned books t-shirt or put up a display and will be made to undo what they’ve done with a lecture about being careful or making waves.”

A California public librarian cites complacency as the reason Banned Books Week has been ignored at their institution. The children’s librarian and director have also overlooked highlighting other heritage and celebratory months, offering no programming or displays.

Finally, a library user in New Jersey also talked about the impact of local book challenges on what they’ve seen in the public library system they frequent. They noted that the last time they saw their local library acknowledge Banned Books Week was in 2021. The public library’s local school library, North Hunterdon-Voorhees, faced escalating pressure to ban books beginning in 2022 and continuing for several years; this year, there’s been another intense challenge to remove The Perks of Being a Wallflower in the Readington School District.

“I did not see any displays this year at the Central branch,” wrote the library user. “The last social media posts–reels going over a book a day–were in 2021.”

Banning Banned Books Week Isn’t About Banned Books Week

Last year’s piece on the banning of Banned Books Week didn’t start or end there. It became the subject of a colorful rant by a Colorado library director, who was unhappy that their library appeared not once but twice in the discussion. You can read it beginning on page 13 of the meeting packet.

Certainly, directors and other administrators are under escalating pressure in today’s political and sociocultural moment. This doesn’t matter whether they’re in a state like Texas or Florida, where legislators are directly threatening their institutions, or they’re in a state like Colorado or Maryland, both of which have passed laws protecting the freedom to read. But library directors and administrators do have a duty to meet the needs and interests of their communities. In an time where democracy is under attack and public institutions are being targeted and defunded so that the wealthy can not only continue pushing their authoritarian agendas and line their pockets even thicker through “solutions” to the “banned books” “problem” via educational technology or through “solutions” to the “government school indoctrination” via voucher schemes that steal money from taxpayers for unregulated, private schools, it is crucial to inform the public about what’s at stake. Libraries have to be their own advocates, and that advocacy is political. Library neutrality is a lie that breeds complicity and compliance. Public institutions depend upon politics to exist–they are paid for by the people–but their politics are not partisan. They are unabashedly in favor of whatever policies support their institutional survival. It is unfortunate that in today’s American politics, this is partisan.

One of the hallmarks of the 2020s is the rapid escalation of book censorship, including the rampant banning of books that don’t capitulate to a fringe, but vocal and well-funded, portion of one political party. Most people in America oppose book bans, and most believe that libraries are valuable and essential parts of their communities.

The discussion over banned books and about banning Banned Books Week isn’t about the things themselves. It never has been, nor should it be. Whether a library hosts Banned Books Week or chooses to highlight the Freedom to Read or, in an ideal world, rebrands t