“Banned Books Week is a celebration of the freedom to read and the joy that comes from discovering stories that expand our understanding of ourselves and one another,” says American Library Association President Sam Helmick. “Every person has the right to seek information and choose books without censorship.”
Banned Books Week 2026 will be observed on October 4–10. Designed for use in events nationwide and internationally, the 2026 theme is “Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read.”
Barbara Stripling, chair of the Banned Books Week Coalition, added, “The 2026 Banned Books Week theme, ‘Let Books Be,’ celebrates the joy of reading and, at the same time, motivates us to stand up for the right to read. We must let books be a window into ourselves and others, a door to new ideas and possibilities, and a path to full participation in our society.”
In fact, the struggle against book bans is too immense to capture in a single image. This year’s Banned Books Week campaign features three illustrations showing how libraries and access to information enrich our lives. The artwork from award-winning illustrators Hyesu Lee, Loveis Wise, and Mikey Burton embraces joy and creativity as acts of resilience, reminding our communities that a handful of people running organized censorship campaigns should not be allowed to dictate what the rest of us can read.
In conjunction with Banned Books Week, the American Library Association (ALA) released the list of the Top 11 Most Challenged Books of 2025 as part of the State of America’s Libraries Report. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) tracked 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025, only five titles behind the record set in 2023. Nearly 92% of 2025 book challenges were initiated by pressure groups, government officials, and decision makers, and 5,668 titles were banned from libraries (66% of the total challenged), with access to an additional 920 books restricted. This is both the highest number of titles censored in one year and the highest rate of challenges resulting in censorship since OIF began compiling censorship data in 1990.
Banned Books Week 2026 is an opportunity to inform communities about this escalation in censorship, while also highlighting the importance of the right to read and readers’ access to information. October 10, 2026, will be Let Freedom Read Day, a day of direct action against censorship. Together, we can protect the freedom to read during Banned Books Week and throughout the year.
About the American Library Association
The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all.
For more information, visit www.ala.org.
About Success Won’t Wait
Founded in 2002, Success Won’t Wait is a not-for-profit literacy organization based in Wilmington, Delaware.
To learn more about Success Won’t Wait’s literacy projects, how to donate used books in Delaware, volunteer your time, or host a book drive, please click on the About Us tab above.
And, if your program, school or center needs assistance with books, please Contact Us to learn more. Read now, because success won’t wait!