Banned Books

Information about books that are frequently removed, or have frequently been removed, from schools and public libraries.

Sub-headings:

Banned Book Lists

Lists of books that are frequently banned from public libraries and schools.

Resources in this category:

A Brief History of Comic Book Censorship
http://www.weeklywire.com/ww/09-08-98/alibi_feat2.html

This short article provides a timeline of comic book censorship from the 1950's through the 1990's. Note: The Weekly Wire is no longer published, so this site will never be updated.

Banned Books Week
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.c...

Banned Books Week is observed during the last week of September each year. The American Library Association's planning materials for this event are available on this site. Documents include frequently asked questions, a press kit for the event, and frequently visited pages about Banned Books Week. Many lists of banned books such as the Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2006, Most Challenged Books of the 21st Century, etc. are also provided.

Banned Books Week: The Stories Behind the Bannings and Challenges
http://www.abffe.org/bbw-booklist-detailed.htm

Presents an alphabetical listing of books banned and challenged in the current year, including who challenged them and why. Provided by the American Booksellers for Free Expression.

Banned Books: Shakespeare Censored!
http://departments.oxy.edu/library/geninfo/collections/speci...

Learn about "past and current attempts to censor William Shakespeare's canon of work" in this online exhibit created by librarians at Occidental College in honor of Banned Books Week. Special attention is paid to The Merchant of Venice and Thomas Bowdler, who published censored versions of Shakespeare's works considered "more appropriate for women and children."

Censorship in Comics: Is This the United States?
http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.4/awm2.4pages/2.4alstonlegal.h...

This article provides a brief history of comic book censorship and the beginnings of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, then takes an in-depth look at several cases of comic books censorship in the U.S. in the 1990's.

Censorship of Comics Bibliography
http://www.cbldf.org/research/biblio-30s.html

Put together by The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, this site provides a bibliography of articles, books, legal publications, laws and cases pertaining to comic book censorship since the 1930's.

Challenged Children's Books
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/edx/challenged.htm

A list taken from the NCTE and the ALA of the 100 most frequently challenged children's books of 1990-2000. Titles are divided into reading levels. Contact information for other resources is provided as well.

How to Save a Book From Banning
http://classiclit.about.com/od/bannedliteratur1/ht/aa_banned...

What happens when a book is banned? Includes information on how you can stop it from disappearing from classrooms and/or libraries. Also includes information on how you can educate others about banned books, and report books that are challenged.

kidSPEAK! Where Kids Speak Up for Free Speech
http://www.kidspeakonline.org/

Created "in response to the outrage expressed by kids over the efforts to censor Harry Potter books," kidSPEAK! contains news, a place to state your own opinions, a quiz that tests your "Censorship IQ," and suggestions about what kids can do about censorship and banned books.

The Online Books Page presents Banned Books Online
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/banned-books.html

Discusses books banned by legal authorities. Also discusses books banned in schools. Includes information about censorship.

Religious Texts, Censorship and Persecution
http://library.west.asu.edu/diversity/bannedbooks/religioust...

Read about efforts to suppress the literature and sacred texts of many different religions, from Bahai to Wicca, around the world. Each religion has its own section, and most of them include links to online versions of selected texts.

Timeline of Banned Books in the US
http://www.thebookstandard.com/bookstandard/news/global/arti...

A timeline of the history of banned books in the US. The timeline begins with the American Revolution in 1776 and contains entries such as the Comstock Laws, Huckleberry Finn, and Jon Stewart's America. The timeline extends to September, 2005.

When Books Burn
http://www.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/burnedbooks/indexpag...

Explore this web exhibit and learn about book burning and other restrictions on intellectual freedom carried out by the Nazi Party in Germany during the 1930's. The exhibit includes an introduction providing historical context, a detailed timeline of events, transcribed speeches, and lists of banned books. Many of the items featured are primary sources. Lesson plans and an extensive list of references are also provided.