Libraries are becoming “book sanctuaries” to combat book bans

According to a new report from PEN America, over 10,000 books were banned in public schools during the 2023-2024 school year. Data from the American Library Association shows that while the country saw a decline in the first eight months of 2024, the number of bans and challenges is still higher than in 2020, when the surge began.

There was a book ban, which the ALA defines as restricting access to material through temporary or indefinite removal The The subject of heated debate in courts and classrooms, libraries and living rooms.

It has sparked a wave of advocacy. “Banned Books Week” is one such initiative, and librarians in “book sanctuaries” stand in solidarity with school libraries that face challenges and bans from politicians and parents.

Libraries establish “book sanctuaries” to protect the right to read

While protests—rallies, literacy events, or even filing lawsuits—are central to much of the fight against book bans, some libraries are taking quieter, equally impactful steps.

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In 2022, the Chicago Public Library declared itself a book sanctuary, or “a physical or digital space that actively protects the freedom of reading.” Sanctuaries for books can exist in classrooms, libraries, coffee shops, bookstores, and even personal collections. Among other things, they collect banned or criticized books and make them easily accessible to readers.

Chicago has a decades-long history of fighting book bans. It was the first public library in the country to issue a statement on intellectual freedom in 1936, before the ALA's Library Bill of Rights. The ALA was even housed there when it was founded, says Chris Brown, director of the Chicago Public Library.

“As these book challenges grew, we were really in a moment to reflect on our history and our core values and realize that we want to remind everyone of what we stand for,” Brown says.

From then on the movement continued to spread. Libraries across the country turned to Chicago. Today there are over 4,000 book shrines in the United States

The Hoboken Public Library became New Jersey's first book sanctuary in 2023 after hosting a banned book reading marathon that sparked attacks on social media, mostly from outside the community. Taking a stand as a book sanctuary was a way to “strengthen the majority message,” says library director Jennie Pu. The community has received overwhelming support, she says. The entire city later declared itself a book sanctuary city.

“This statement to the world: We do not censor or ban books. In fact, we actively collect books and stories that are banned,” says Pu.

The majority of Americans do not support book bans. An ALA poll of nearly 1,500 voters and public school parents found that 71% oppose removing books from public libraries, including majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents. A 2023 NPR poll found similar numbers across party lines.

Book shrines enjoy great community support

In Kentucky, the Paris-Bourbon County Library declared itself a First Amendment library after a family quickly challenged 102 books. Most titles related to the experiences of marginalized people. Removing them would have been “contrary to everything I believed in,” director Mark Adler told USA TODAY.

He waited until a board meeting to make his decision – if the community agreed with the removal, he would resign. If they resisted the challenges, he would “stay and fight for them.”

The number of opponents of book removal was hundreds greater than the number of supporters.

“We had people from across the political spectrum, we had people from both major parties on the board and they were very supportive. They don’t believe anyone has the right to tell anyone else what to read, and certainly not to tell other people’s children what to read,” Adler says.

Recent legislation in the US allows the removal and objection of school library titles containing sexual content, even if that content is not pornographic. Some have used this provision to challenge titles that mention sexual violence or an LGBTQ+ person or relationship.

According to the American Library Association, 47% of the 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship in 2023 were by or about LGBTQ+ people and people of color.

“Our collections must be diverse and reflect the society in which we live. “That means you can’t just represent a certain point of view,” says Pu. “(Book sanctuaries) provide at least some basic protection to enable a librarian to do their job and curate a thoughtful, diverse collection of all types of voices.”

Even in Texas, a state with the second-highest number of book bans, the Harris County Public Library System received widespread support when it declared itself and its branches a book sanctuary.

As area schools removed titles from their shelves, Principal Edward Melton felt it was necessary to create a safe place for students to access information outside of the classroom. While being a book sanctuary doesn't provide legal protections, it does help employees feel comfortable doing their jobs without the threat of retaliation. It's also reassuring to know that the Commissioner's Court, the local governing body, supports the right to read in Harris County, Melton said.

“Initially we thought we were going into shark-infested waters – but that wasn’t the case,” he says.

Since the resolution was passed last year, Harris County has been fully committed to fighting the book ban. The county approved a mural downtown to protest book bans. They also host concerts and book talks for Banned Books Week.

Chicago has seen similarly widespread support. A year after the public library declared itself a book sanctuary, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill making Illinois the first state to ban books.

“A fundamental right that people really accept”

Much of the debate over book bans is lost in semantics, says Melton. He addressed the problem by going back to basics. When he uses the phrases “intellectual freedom” and “censorship,” he is saying that people understand the context of what is really happening.

For this reason, Adler and the Paris-Bourbon County Library also chose the term “First Amendment Library.”

“I don’t care what your background is or what you want to read,” Adler says. “If you have an interest or a desire to learn something, my job as a librarian is to help you find your material.”

Before becoming a book sanctuary, Melton recommends that librarians first have a thoughtful conversation with local government officials to differentiate themselves from the other politically charged language they may have heard.

“In America, no one wants to be censored. “Everyone wants to have intellectual freedom when it comes to deciding what they read or what information they consume,” says Melton. “It is a fundamental right that people really embrace. So when you start talking about taking away someone’s intellectual freedom, the community goes into turmoil.”

And while libraries are on the front lines, Brown says everyone can get involved. For influencers, it could be making a video about banned books. In cafés and bookstores it could be the display of frequently complained about titles.

Libraries are becoming “book sanctuaries” to combat book bans

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