ISHPEMING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Banned books are being recognized across the nation this week. Each year around this time, the American Library Association aims to spread the importance of protecting the right to read freely.
But what exactly does it mean for a book to be banned? Nicole Johnson is a librarian at the Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library.
“When a title is banned or challenged, it doesn’t mean that it’s gone, or you don’t have access to it,” she explained. “It can be a particular classroom or a particular school district that no longer has the title directly available, or in some cases, we have seen public libraries pull titles.”
Common themes in a majority of these books include stories surrounding LGBTQ+ communities, mature content, social justice, and more. In 2024, over 2,000 titles were either challenged or banned.
“People feel like the material is too mature to be in there, whereas we just want to have things that are available for anyone,” said Johnson. “It’s up to the parent to decide.”
The library also says that displaying these books started as a fun learning experience, but has now taken a more serious tone.
“Censorship has been on the rise for the last few years more than ever,” said Johnson. “Books are being pulled off the shelves, and there’s soft censorship going on, which means that you don’t always know what’s happening, so it’s very important to recognize it now that this is happening today.”
This year’s banned book week has a theme, titled ‘Censorship is so 1984, Read for your Rights.’ Libraries across the nation are using the week to make sure all books can be available for everyone.
“Everybody has a different point of view, and our goal is to just make sure that there’s something for everybody to find on the shelf,” said Johnson.
The official list for this year’s banned books will be compiled and announced in April of 2026. More information can be found at ala.org.
