September 22-28, 2024 is Banned Books Week. The American Library Association's theme this year is "Freed Between the Lines". The MiraCosta College Library & Students' Pride in Honoring Our Existence through Resistance and Empowerment (SPHERE) invite you to learn more about banned & challenged books by reading the 10 most-challenged books in 2023! Exhibits will be at all three campuses and online from September 22 - 28 (thanks to Chris Boehm and MiraCosta Media Arts & Technologies for donating laser-etched QR Codes).
In 2022, the American Library Association (ALA) documented more than 1,200 challenges to library books and resources. That is nearly 2 times more challenges than the previous year and the highest amount of challenges recorded since the ALA started tracking challenges 20 years ago. Because many challenges are not reported to the ALA or covered by the press this list represents only a snapshot of book challenges; actual numbers are likely higher.
Recent San Diego County book challenges have occurred in the City of Oceanside and at Poway Unified School District (a district review committee ultimately voted to keep both challenged books in high school libraries). Additionally, the Solana Beach School District recently adopted a new process for considering book donations; the same district was in the news in the fall of 2021 after students and parents both criticized and praised book donations at a board meeting.