Top Ten Challenged Books of 2010

“Not every book is right for each reader, but we should have the right to think for ourselves and allow others to do the same."      
                                     - ALA President Roberta Stevens

Each year, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) receives hundreds of reports on book challenges, which are formal written requests to remove a book from a library or classroom because of an objection to the book’s content. There have been more than 11,000 attempts recorded since the OIF began compiling information on book challenges in 1990.

This is the OIF’s Top Ten List of Frequently Challenged Books for 2010:

1. And Tango Makes Three –– Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian –– Sherman Alexie.
3. Brave New World –– Aldous Huxley.
4. Crank –– Ellen Hopkins.
5. The Hunger Games –– Suzanne Collins.
6. Lush –– Natasha Friend.
7. What My Mother Doesn’t Know –– Sonya Sones.
8. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America –– Barbara Ehrenreich.
9. Revolutionary Voices –– edited by Amy Sonnie.
10. Twilight –– Stephenie Meyer.

The list was released this year as part of The 2011 State of America's Libraries Report, which highlights key trends and issues facing libraries during the previous year. The report, released annually in conjunction with National Library Week, contains information about library funding, legislative issues and library technology in academic, school and public libraries.

The growth of e-books in libraries and the battle over their future availability in libraries is featured in the report. In March HarperCollins announced that it will not allow its e-books to be checked out from a library more than 26 times, raising the possibility that e-books that are not repurchased would be available at the library for only about a year.

To learn more about issues facing libraries, read the Executive Summary or access The 2011 State of America's Libraries Report in its entirety.

If you're interested in challenges to civil liberties, participate in this year's Banned Books Week (September 24-October 1, 2011).  Libraries and bookstores nationwide participate in the event, with thousands of people at rallies reading from banned or challenged books and discussing the impact censorship has on civil liberties.

John Grisham is the Honorary Chair of National Library Week this year. Did you know that some of his books have been banned?