Hundreds of books are challenged in schools and libraries in the United States each year. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, while a banning reflects teh actual removal of those materials. The American Library Association (ALA) provides confidential support to teachers and librarians and tracks challenges that occur. ALA recorded 348 challenges in 2010 but estimates this reflects only 20-25% of actual incidents, as most challenges are never reported.
This map is drawn from cases documented by ALA and the Kids' Right to Read Project, a collaboration of the National Coalition Against Censorship and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. "Mapping Censorship" was created by Chris Peterson of the National Coalition Against Censorship and Alita Edelman of hte American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. The map is now updated by the American Library Association.
View Book Bans and Challenges, 2007-2011 in a larger map.
