The American Library Association first established Banned Books Week in 1982. The annual event grew from concerns about a surge of book challenges and bans in schools, libraries, and communities across the United States.
First organized with the help of Judith Krug, director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, the week encourages readers to explore challenged works and defend the freedom to read. The Association of American Publishers helped bring the issue to public attention, and the first observance was organized within roughly six weeks.
Banned Books Week is often described as celebrating “banned books,” but many featured titles have been challenged rather than formally banned. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict access; a ban is the actual removal of a book. The event traditionally took place during the last full week of September, although its scheduling and format have changed over time. Since 2011, the ALA’s school-library division has also used the week to highlight online censorship through Banned Websites Awareness Day.