Banned Books

The ASU Library has designed two online learning resources for anyone to use. We hope these tools help you learn more about book banning and censorship before you dive into deeper research.

Banned Books Microlesson

Want to explore more about the history of book banning and learn new information beyond this library guide? Check out ASU Library's Banned Books Microlesson! This short, self-paced lesson will help you identify terminology, examine patterns in current events surrounding censorship, and understand how to take action against book banning. 

Banned Books Jeopardy Game

Feel like testing your knowledge on book banning and challenged books? Play our Banned Books Jeopardy Game! If you need help with some of the questions, look for clues in the microlesson or library guide.

Current ASU students, staff, and faculty are highly encouraged to consult the two hyperlinks listed below via the library's subscription access to the Opposing Viewpoints (Gale in Context) research database. The first link is a 1,730-word overview of book banning in contemporary America, while the second link provides full-text access to over 1,000 publications that focus on book banning. These resources include academic journals, audio clips, biographies, featured viewpoints, images, infographics, magazine articles, news articles, statistics, videos, and websites.

References

“Book Banning” [Topic Overview: 1,730 words]. Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2023.

“Book Banning”. Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2023.

Access hundreds of free Banned Books through the Internet Archive by clicking the links below:

• Banned Books on the Internet Archive
• Recently Reviewed Banned Books

You can also use these resources to locate your nearest libraries to browse collections, check out materials, circulate banned books, and more.

• Library Finder - Find any public library in the United States using your location or using a ZIP code, city, and state.
• Little Free Library World Map - View locations of Little Free Library sharing boxes from around the world. You can stock these boxes with banned books for others to read, or take a book for yourself.
• Little Free Library Banned Books Map - In partnership with the American Library Association and PEN America, find the areas hit hardest by book bans and the nearest Little Free Library book-sharing box locations to get involved in protecting the right to read.
• WorldCat Library Finder - Search for any library around the world based on the library name, postal code, or city name. You can also filter results by library type (public, academic, museum, archives, etc.).

Academic Search Ultimate is described by its publisher, EBSCO, as "the world's highest quality multidisciplinary full-text journal database."

Below is an alphabetical listing of hyperlinked subject heading searches of the database for concepts related to academic freedom, banned books, censorship, free speech, and propaganda.

Select one of the entries below to connect to all matching records within the Academic Search Ultimate database.

Below is an alphabetical listing of hyperlinked subject heading searches of the ASU Library Catalog for concepts related to academic freedom, banned books, censorship, free speech, and propaganda. There are 2 tabs: one with A-L entries and another with M-Z entries.

Simply select one of the entries to be connected to all matching records (books, dissertations, government documents, journals, video) - in both print and electronic format - within the ASU Library Catalog.

• Full text means the entire text of a resource is provided. This means you can read, print, save, or cite it without having to request additional access. 
• Open access eliminates any barriers, such as price and copyright restrictions, that hinder access to scholarship and the knowledge it confers. Open access challenges censorship attempts by guaranteeing that research is available online for global, public access at no cost, permitting the transformation of ideas to improve society.

The ABCs of Book Banning

Nominated for Best Documentary Short Film at the 2024 Academy Awards. "The ABCs of Book Banning," directed by Sheila Nevins in her inaugural debut, shows the human toll the future will pay for depriving children of their right to read, as over 2,000 books have been banned from school districts across the United States.

Current ASU students, faculty, and staff can stream this documentary from the ASU Library Streaming Media database. You can view the trailer below.

On November 28, 2023, live from the New York Public Library, a conversation took place to discuss the documentary. This is hosted by Jonathan Friedman (PEN America), with comedy writer and children’s book author Jill Twist, Peter Parnell (And Tango Makes Three co-author), poet and activist Nikki Giovanni, and centenarian Grace Linn, who in response to the banning 84 books by the Martin County School Board in Florida, created a Targeted & Banned quilt. Captions are included in the video. 

Banned Together

Banned Together follows three students and their adult allies as they fight to reinstate 97 books suddenly pulled from their school libraries. This documentary reveals the sweeping patterns of book bans across the United States and curriculum censorship in public schools.

Visit the documentary's website to learn more about the production and resources, and view the trailer on YouTube (captions are generated). 

The Fiery History of Banned Books

As part of PBS's "It's Lit!" series, this 14-minute episode explores the history of book banning, from around 213 B.C. to the present day. The episode is available for free on PBS SoCal's website, with captions included. 

You can also watch this episode on YouTube, with captions included.