CHICAGO — The American Library Association closed Banned Books Week on Saturday by releasing fresh censorship data, reporting hundreds of attempts to remove or restrict titles from US libraries over the past year. Libraries from Kansas to California marked the day with public readings of challenged books.

The weeklong campaign, held annually in early October, defends the freedom to read against what the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom describes as a sustained surge in organized challenges. The office tracks demands to pull books from shelves, many targeting titles dealing with race, gender and LGBTQ+ themes.

Smaller institutions joined the national effort, including the Great Bend Public Library in Kansas, which promoted the week with displays urging patrons to protect their freedom to read. Many branches staged read-aloud events, distributed lists of frequently challenged titles and invited authors to speak.

Librarians and free-expression groups including PEN America used the closing day to press lawmakers against legislation that eases book removals from school and public collections. The ALA has repeatedly warned that challenges increasingly come from advocacy campaigns rather than individual parents.

The association said the data underscored a shift in American reading culture, with librarians facing legal and political pressure unseen a decade ago. Organisers framed the week as both celebration and defence of intellectual freedom.