Book Ban Resources

Book Ban Resources

Join the fight against book bans armed with the facts.

PEN America has documented nearly 23,000 book bans since the fall of 2021, a sweeping assault on the freedom to read. Book bans don’t just remove titles from shelves; they erase voices, limit ideas, and undermine the very foundation of a free, open society.

Whether you’re a teacher, librarian, parent, student, author, or simply a concerned citizen, this collection of resources will help you understand what’s happening, why it matters, and how you can take meaningful action. Explore the tools, data, and guidance you need to join the fight against censorship and defend the freedom to read.

2024-2025 Instances of School Book Bans by State

Map key showing color and shade codes representing different ranges of book bans: 0, 1-10, 11-100, 101-200, 201-500, 501-600, 601-1,000, 1,001-2,000, and 2,001-3,000 bans.