Dear Friend,

Since PEN America started tracking public school book bans in July 2021, we have recorded nearly 6,000 instances of banned books. Our new report released today documents a 33% increase in book bans in 2023-23 compared to 2021-21, of which 40% occurred in Florida.

A large share of the individual bans took place in states where legislation or coordinated campaigns by local and national groups have driven mass restrictions on access to literature. Books about race and racism, LGBTQ+ identities, and violence have remained a top target. 

Punitive state laws, coupled with pressure from vocal citizens and local and national groups, have created difficult dilemmas for school districts, forcing them to either restrict access to books or risk penalties for educators and librarians.

When asked where I thought this pro-censorship movement is going, I said in today's issue of The New York Times, “We’ll begin to see this chilled atmosphere play out in different ways, either through quietly removing books, or not bringing books in, in the first place.” 

As you hear more about the report in the press and on social media in the coming days and weeks, know that our work documenting and exposing book restrictions and removals in school districts across the country is only possible with the support of free expression champions like you.