A year after launching its interactive Book Ban Map in 2024, literacy nonprofit Little Free Library has released an updated version of the map highlighting those areas where challenges and bans are intensifying, as well as the locations of LFL-branded book sharing boxes. The Book Ban Map was developed by LFL in partnership with the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and PEN America, which both provided LFL with data. The ALA provided data on books removed from or restricted in schools and public libraries at the state level and PEN America provided data at the county level.
The scale of restrictions upon the freedom to read in each state and county is color-coded, with darker hues indicating higher rates of challenges and bans. The map includes a hover feature for state banning totals, the ability to toggle between state and counties, and a search function to locate specific states and counties. Viewers can zoom into any area to locate LFL boxes, which are indicated on the map with blue pins.
LFL noted in a release that there are more than 200,000 LFL-branded boxes worldwide, of which 98,000 are in the U.S, and that the ALA reports that almost 2,500 unique titles were challenged or banned from school and public libraries in the U.S. The Twin Cities–based organization describes its network as a “powerful outlet for those who wish to respond to book censorship,” as the combination of book banning data with book-sharing box locations provides communities with accurate and effective tools to counter restrictions upon people’s easy access to books.
“At the Little Free Library, we believe that access to books is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of an informed, engaged society,” said CEO Daniel Gumnit in a statement. “This newly updated map empowers communities to protect intellectual freedom, champion diverse voices, and ensure that the joy of reading remains accessible to all.”
