American Library Association (ALA)

Banned Books Week has promoted purportedly censored books that are criticized for including content that discusses sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and that are associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). It includes relocating sexually explicit and obscene books from children’s sections of libraries as a form of censorship, arguing that no books in libraries meet the legal definition of obscene. ⁴ It also provides materials for schools, classrooms, and community libraries to encourage the reading of banned books, highlighting its list of LGBT and critical race theory aligned books. ⁵

The ALA has promoted the idea that librarians and communities of libraries are obligated to address issues associated with DEI by seeking to seek and “dismantle” what it claims are commonly held racial biases, racist policies, and notions of privilege. It provides trainings for how to incorporate DEI topics, including those associated with critical race theory and anti-racism, within library programming. ^{6 7}

Background

The American Library Association was founded on October 6, 1876, during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, when 103 librarians from across the country came to a “Convention of Librarians” at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. ⁸

Its predecessor entities date to a network for librarians founded 1853 in New York City. Charles C. Jewett of the Smithsonian Institution became the first president, and Seth Hastings Grant of the New York Mercantile Library was elected secretary. A committee of five was appointed to organize a second meeting in 1854, but the meeting was never held until a major call for another meeting occurred two decades later. ⁸

The ALA Council adopted the Library Bill of Rights on June 19, 1939, affirming librarians’ rights to select materials based on their own and community interests and support open access to information. ⁹

Views on Censorship

Banned Books Week

The American Library Association sponsors the annual “Banned Books Week.” The association produces a top 10 list of books “challenged” by people seeking their removal from libraries or schools based on media reports. In 2019, the association expanded the list to 11. ¹⁰

Broadly, books with themes or characters pertaining to LGBT and Black Lives Matter issues targeted at children and young adults were the most challenged in 2018, said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, deputy director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. ¹¹

The number two book on the list for 2018 was the children’s book A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, by author Jill Twiss with illustrations by E.G. Keller, featuring a same-sex relationship between two rabbits. ¹¹

The ALA publishes its “Most Challenged Books” list through its Office for Intellectual Freedom based on what it describes as “confidential reports” submitted by librarians and “community members” and based on public reports. It has clarified on its website that its data is inconclusive in determining which books are “most” challenged as many challenge requests are not reported or publicized. Its most challenged books list also highlights books that it claims are censored through relocation or requiring parental permission. ¹²

In 2025, the ALA reported that its data showed that “92% of all book challenges were initiated by pressure groups, government officials, and decision makers” and reported that less than three percent of challenges came from parents. It also accused book challengers of falsely claiming that books were obscene. It also reported that other common challenges included LGBT book topics and topics on race, racism, equity, and “social justice.” ¹²

The ALA has defined its classification of books challenged for having “false claims of illegal obscenity for minors” as books that are accused of being illegal for including references or descriptions of human sexuality or reproductive health. It has argued that such accusations are only meant to intimidate schools and libraries and that there are no library books that meet the legal definition of an illegally obscene book for minors. ⁴

The books are generally targeted for removal or restrictions in public libraries but usually remain available. It previously published an ALA Action Guide that responded to it being commonly asked why it uses the name “Banned Books Week” but highlights books that are not banned. It stated it focuses on “challenged” books instead of banned books because challenged books are attempts to ban and restrict books and that the cosponsors of Banned Books Week, including the ALA, prefer the name “Banned Books Week” instead of Challenged Books Week” for this reason. ¹³

Cuba

In 2005, the Organization of American States, Amnesty International, and Freedom House called for the Cuban Castro regime to release 65 Cuban librarians and dissidents who were imprisoned for making books available that the regime had not approved for libraries. Some Cuban judges ordered the “incineration” of the libraries containing the works of Martin Luther King, Jr., and books such as George Orwell’s Animal Farm. ¹⁴

After library associations from Poland, the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Estonia joined the call, 70 percent of American Library Association members said in an early 2006 survey that the council should adopt a resolution. However, the ALA Council declined to condemn the censorship in Cuba. The association also fended off calls to put the Cuba matter on the “Book Burning in the 21st Century” section of its website. ¹⁴

Social-Conservative Literature

In 2008, Fairfax County, Virginia, refused to carry more than 100 books donated by conservative Christian students and parents produced by the social-conservative advocacy group Focus on the Family. ⁹ In 2009, Regina Griggs, a social-conservative activist, said she asked the ALA to issue a statement during Banned Books Week urging the Fairfax County school libraries to carry the social-conservative books. But the ALA did not get involved. ¹⁵

In July 2009, controversial critic of Islam Robert Spencer was set to be part of an ALA panel titled “Perspectives on Islam: Beyond the Stereotyping.” However, the association cancelled the forum after a complaint by the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). ⁹

Condemnation of Memory

In June 2019, at its annual conference, the American Library Association did away with its Melvil Dewey Medal. Dewey, a co-founder of the ALA, created the “Dewey Decimal” classification system, used in libraries around the world to categorize books. Dewey also created the nation’s first library school at Columbia University. Dewey’s memory was condemned over his censure in 1906 for improper behavior toward women, such as unwanted kissing and hugging in public. He also supported anti-Semitism and racism. ¹⁵

Sherre Harrington, coordinator of the ALA Social Responsibilities Round Table’s Feminist Task Force said, “It wasn’t like he’s being judged by 21^st century standards. He was called out repeatedly for his sexual harassment behavior during his time.” ¹⁵

In 2018, the ALA removed author Laura Ingalls Wilder’s name from an award after allegations that her Little House on the Prairie books were anti-Native American and anti-African American. ¹⁵

Advocacy Positions

The American Library Association was among early organizations that passed a resolution endorsing same-sex marriage in 2005. Shortly after, it established a Rainbow List to “provide young people with books that … relate to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning experience.” The ALA’s Stonewall Book Award honors the best LGBT-themed book every year. The ALA has since established the “Social Responsibility Roundtable,” the “Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Roundtable.” ⁹

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the ALA strongly opposed the USA Patriot Act. The council passed a resolution in 2003 expressing concern the law would allow the FBI to monitor what Americans are reading. The resolution called the law “a present danger to the constitutional rights and privacy rights of library users.” ¹⁶

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives

In 2017, the ALA’s published its policy on how it addresses diversity, equity, and inclusion and stated DEI “impacts all aspects of work” amongst ALA members, in librarianship, and in the communities of libraries. It advocated for its members to “dismantle and transform” policies and systems to address ideals associated with DEI and to “address and dismantle” purported biases through librarianship. ⁶

The American Library Association advocates for library programming to address issues associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion. It provides a variety of resources and training that are administered by its Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services (ODLOS). ⁷

The EDIcon is listed as ALA’s flagship training and covers topics associated with critical race theory and anti-racism where training participants are given implicit bias, privilege, and cultural competence trainings. It has stated that it serves to “disrupt learned behaviors,” and costs between $2,700 and $3,600 to attend. ⁷

The ALA also offers 1.5 hour in-person or virtual trainings for $1,000 per participant. It offers topics on cultural competence, where it reports it discusses how people should interact with the different cultures and identities of their community; microaggressions, informing librarians on how they can address issues associated with alleged racial microaggressions”; how to address issues associated with implicit bias, claiming that it commonly occurs; and topics that argue privilege and unconscious bias create “barriers” for select community members, instructing librarians how their programming can address such issues. ⁷

eBooks

In July 2019, then-American Library Association President Wanda K. Brown blasted Macmillan Publishers, for its new eBook policy with libraries. Macmillan Publishers, one of the five largest book publishing firms, announced that starting in November 2019, it would restrict the number of e-books to libraries during the first eight weeks after new works are released. ¹⁷

Macmillan Publishers claimed in 2019 to make a single copy of new eBooks available to each library system upon the book’s release at a half-rate price of $30. The price was standard regardless of if the system was the New York Public Library or a small-town system that has one branch. Libraries may obtain more copies of the title for eight weeks after publication at cost of $60, according to the ALA. ¹⁷

In September 2019, ALA and the Public Library Association (PLA) launched a national campaign and petition urging Macmillan Publishers CEO John Sargent to undo the newly adopted limitations on eBook access by libraries. The campaign opposed limiting libraries to one eBook, delaying access to the eBook, and it opposed requiring eBooks to be repurchased by libraries after two years. The press release announcing the petition also advocated for libraries to be allowed unrestricted access to eBooks and to be allowed for members to have unrestricted access for downloading eBooks. ¹⁸

By October 2019, the ALA and PLA petition receive 160,000 signatures. On October 30, 2019, ALA’s senior director of public policy and government relations Alan Inouye, ALA policy fellow Sari Feldman, and other current and former leaders of ALA and PLA hand-delivered copies of the signatures to Sargent and publicized the event. It also published a press release, arguing that there is no evidence that library access to books reduces book sales. ¹⁹

Following the controversy, ALA submitted a report to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law that criticized Macmillan Publishers for its eBook licensing policy and Amazon for refusing to sell its content to libraries, arguing that the policies “imperil” the First Amendment. ²⁰

As of July 2026, Macmillan’s eBook policy had not changed since the 2019 update. In 2022, a U.S. District Judge overruled legislation passed in Maryland that would have implemented price controls for eBooks paid for by libraries due to federal copyright laws. ²¹

Leadership

In June 2025, Daniel Montgomery was named to be the executive director of the American Library Association and was serving in the position as of July 2026. From 2010 until 2025, Montgomery worked as the president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) teachers union, and as of July 2026, he was a vice president for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) union. ²² Prior to his term as president of IFT, he worked as the head of the North Suburban Teachers Union, AFT Local 1274, and from 2002 to 2010, he was vice president of the IFT executive board. ²³

Financials

In 2024, the ALA reported receiving $7.1 million in membership dues, $17.0 million in outside contributions, $11.2 million from meetings and conferences, $4.0 million from advertising, $2.9 million from subscriptions, and $2.8 million from the sales of books and materials. It also reported $1.0 million in government grants, which made up 1.9 percent of its $54.1 million in total revenue. ²⁴

All of the ALA’s 2024 $5.4 million in grants were paid as a cash grant or award to 974 recipients for an average award of $5,619.68. ²⁵ Many of ALAs’ grants have included funding for travel to ALA conferences and events but has also included funding for research into how issues associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can be addressed by libraries. ^{26 27}