Little Free Library condemns book banning. Expanding access to books is at the heart of our mission, and the rise of book bans in America goes against our organization’s core values — especially when the bans overwhelmingly target BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors. When these voices and perspectives are erased through book bans, our world becomes a less informed, less empathetic, and less inclusive place.
Over the last several years, an unprecedented number of books have been banned or challenged in U.S. schools and public libraries, from classics like The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee to contemporary titles such as The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson. The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracks the most challenged books each year, and the overall list keeps getting longer. The ALA documented 1,269 demands to censor books in 2022, the highest number on record.
Book bans silence authors with diverse viewpoints and eliminate the chance for readers to feel seen and represented in their stories. At our core as an organization, we are book lovers who believe deeply in the power of books to share unique ideas and perspectives and ultimately enhance our human experience, understanding, and appreciation for one another. We’re hopeful that by working together, we can make a difference.
LFL Executive Director Greig Metzger
What We’re Doing
Little Free Library book-sharing boxes are an excellent way to provide access to books — including banned books. We’re proud to work alongside Little Free Library stewards, as well as partners like the Banned Books Week Coalition, the American Library Association, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and Penguin Random House, to get banned and challenged books into readers’ hands. Learn how we’re working to protect the freedom to read here.
How You Can Get Involved
Are you ready to stand with the banned? There are many ways you can take action:
- Celebrate Banned Books Week October 1-7, 2023 with the resources in our provided toolkit
- Share banned and challenged books in your Little Free Library or a Little Free Library near you. Choose a book to share from our Bookshop.org Banned and Challenged Books list.
- Show your support with a “This Little Free Library Shares Banned Books” sign or downloadable library window sign. You can also download this “I share banned books” graphic to share on social media.
- Download the LFL mobile app. If you are a steward who shares banned books, turn on the Banned Books indicator for your library. If you are a patron, select the Banned Books indicator to find book-sharing boxes near you that support this issue.
- Stay informed by following coverage from the American Library Association and add your name to their Unite Against Book Bans pledge.
- Donate to Little Free Library to help make all books — including banned books — accessible to everyone!
Resources
What is a book ban? (PEN America)
What’s the difference between a challenge and a ban? (ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom)
How do I report a book ban in my area? (ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom; see also National Coalition Against Censorship and PEN America)
Top 13 Most Challenged Books of 2022 (ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom)
Index of School Book Bans (PEN America)
Guide to Attending Library and School Board Meetings (Unite Against Book Bans)
Banned Books Week Day of Action (American Library Association)
Additional information: American Library Association, PEN America, Let Kids Read from Penguin Random House, and Books Belong from Simon & Schuster