Every year, the American Library Association and the individual librarians that make up this organization fight to prevent and mediate censorship attempts on the books in their respective libraries. In 2023 4,240 unique book titles were challenged. This is a 65% increase over the previous year's challenges. Approximately 47% of these censorship efforts are for books about the experiences of LGBTQ persons and persons of color.
The ALA's efforts to combat censorship are aided by the ACLU. Last year, the ACLU blocked ACT 372 in Arkansas to prevent librarians from being criminalized for providing "access to material considered 'harmful to minors.'" (ACLU Magazine, Fall 2024, p.27) They also fought against a law in Missouri that wanted hundreds of books to be removed from school libraries across the state.
Some of the most challenged and banned books available in the MSMU Libraries include:
Gender Queer: a Memoir by
All Boys Aren't Blue by
This Book Is Gay by
Flamer by
The Bluest Eye by
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