10/07/2026
If you missed the news, it’s Banned Books Week. It’s sad that this is something we have to recognize every year. BUT, this week gives us an excuse to mark the occasion by investing in some of the most frequently banned and challenged books and share them in community. This year, we’ve purchased several of the most highly banned and challenged books and are seeding them in some of our favorite Little Free Library locations around town! If you’ve been following us for a while, you’ll probably recognize many of these spots - if you keep your eyes peeled this week, maybe you’ll find a new book to add to your collection (like this copy of OUT OF DARKNESS by Ashley Hope Pérez) ♥️
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About the current state of banned/challenged books in the United States from the American Library Association (American Library Association):
• ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) tracked 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025, the second highest ever documented by ALA. The highest ever documented was 4,240 in 2023.
• Of the unique titles challenged in 2025, 1,671 (39%) represent the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ people and people of color.
•In 2025, 92% of all book challenges were initiated by pressure groups, government officials and decision makers, up from 72% in 2024. Less than 3% of challenges originated from individual parents.
• ALA documented 5,668 books banned from libraries (66% of the total challenged) in 2025. An additional 920 books were censored through access restrictions such as relocation or requiring parental permission. This is both the highest number of titles censored in one year and the highest rate of challenges resulting in censorship from 1990–2025.
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