National #FreedomToRead Day of Action: NYPL Stands Against Book Bans

By NYPL Staff
October 23, 2024
People with signs about the freedom to read surround a podium where people are leading a chant.

On October 19, 2024, The New York Public Library teamed up with our partners at Unite Against Book Bans to participate in a nationwide Freedom to Read Day of Action! Since the American Library Association (ALA) started keeping records more than 20 years ago, book bans and challenges reached an all-time high in 2023 and continue to happen at an alarming rate. A recent ALA report shows that the number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries rose by 92% in 2023 compared to the previous year. The majority of the banned or challenged books are for young people and are written by or about people of color and people who identify as LGBTQ+.

As the largest public library system in the country, The New York Public Library stands united with the American Library Association and libraries across the country against book bans. We believe in the freedom to read, and to that end we will continue to elevate, amplify, and celebrate the stories, voices, and titles that censorship tries to suppress.

Check out photos from the national Day of Action and learn how you can make your voice heard—including by signing our Freedom to Read pledge online!

New York City

Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Public Library, and The New York Public Library each rallied their communities for the National Day of Action. At NYPL, we teamed up with drag legend Sasha Velour, New York City Council Libraries Chair Carlina Rivera, special guest authors Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, student activist Da'Taeveyon Daniels, and our partners at Unite Against Book Ban!  

Tony Marx, Carlina Rivera, and the lion mascot hold signs about the freedom to read.
Sasha Velour and the lion Library mascot.
Da'Taeveyon Daniels holds open a shirt that reads: Protect the Freedom to Read.
Drummers perform outside the Brooklyn Public Library, which is outfitted with a banner that reads Freedom to Read.
Linda Johnson speaking outside of the Brooklyn Public LIbrary in front of a podium that reads: Freedom to Read.
Dennis Walcott stands at a podium next to a book shelf wrapped with caution tape.
A child stands at a Queens Public Library podium reading from a book.
Two people holding signs that read: Books Unite Bans Divide and Freedom to Read Day of Action.

Nationwide

Across the country,  a coordinated set of rallies held by almost 200 libraries in nearly all 50 states demonstrated our shared belief that the freedom to read is an American value that must be protected. 

Enoch Pratt Free Library, Maryland

Las Vegas Public Library, Nevada

Phoenix Public Library, Arizona

Schaumburg Township District Library, Illinois
 

Washington State Library

Ways to Get Involved

Sign the Freedom to Read pledgeSign the Freedom to Read Pledge and click to send an email to your representatives in Congress.

Join Our Teen Banned Book Club: Read with us! The New York Public Library's Teen Banned Book Club shines a spotlight on young adult titles that have been the subject of bans or challenges.

Enter Our National Teen Art Contest: NYPL invites teens across the U.S. to submit original art to our contest on the theme of books, reading, censorship, or intellectual freedom.

Download Our Books for All Toolkit: NYPL is partnering with the American Library Association to provide opportunities for communities across the country to get involved in protecting the freedom to read!

Learn More About Protecting the Freedom to Read: Stand with The New York Public Library all year long to protect the freedom to read with free events, exhibitions, curriculum guides, and more.