Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week

“Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights.”

October 5 – 11, 2025

Join us for Banned Books Week 2025 as we celebrate the freedom to read and spotlight the growing threats to intellectual freedom in communities nationwide. This year’s theme, “Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights,” draws from George Orwell’s dystopian classic 1984, a prescient reminder of what can happen when access to information is controlled or suppressed.

As censorship challenges grow in schools, libraries, and bookstores, Banned Books Week encourages you to take a stand. We believe that everyone has the right to read—and we are dedicated to maintaining access to a wide range of ideas, stories, and voices.

Across the U.S., libraries like ours are facing a sharp rise in attempts to restrict or ban materials, cancel programs, and even reduce funding. These pressures threaten our role as open community spaces where people of all ages and backgrounds come to learn, grow, and connect.

We ask you to show your support by visiting your local library, borrowing a banned book, and advocating for the freedom to read. Together, we can ensure libraries remain trusted places for knowledge, exploration, and inclusion.

Visit any Library location to learn more about Banned Books Week, participate in the Periodic Table of Banned Books display, and write a letter to Congress.

Check out this list of ALA’s 10 Most Banned Books of the last year.