In the U.S., book bans continue to surge. In 2023, the American Library Association documented 4,240 unique book titles targeted for censorship—a 65% surge over 2022 numbers. Librarians, educators, publishers, and readers across the country continue to fight against these bans at school board meetings, through legislation, and in court.
And bookstores and booksellers too are playing a huge role in preserving the freedom to read. In addition to raising awareness about these books through creative displays and handselling to customers, many are going above and beyond.
Loudmouth Books
Indianapolis, IN
Owned by author Leah Johnson (whose own books have faced bans), Loudmouth was founded to highlight banned books, particularly those by BIPOC and queer authors.
Take a listen to Leah on the Libro.fm podcast, where she shares tips for fighting book bans!
People’s Book
Takoma Park, MD
To help readers in Florida—where book bans are especially prevalent—get access to more stories, People’s Book ran a donation campaign. Folks were able to purchase banned books which were then sent to a mobile bookstore in Florida for distribution.
Baldwin & Co.
New Orleans, LA
Baldwin & Co.’s Baldwin & Co. Foundation is “dedicated to harnessing the transformative power of reading to foster meaningful social change across our nation.” In 2023, they hosted an [Un]ban Book Festival to give out over 700 free copies of banned books.
The Lynx Books
Gainesville, FL
Founded by author Lauren Groff, The Lynx opened after Groff “decided that their town needed an independent bookstore where titles that had been purged from libraries and classrooms would be on prominent display” (The New York Times). The store’s motto, “watch us bite back,” is reflected in a monthly banned book book club, as well as their nonprofit, The Lynx Watch, Inc. With the nonprofit, they help distribute banned books to Floridans who otherwise can’t access them.
Beaverdale Books
Des Moines, IA
With its Banned Books Festival, Beaverdale Books spotlights authors, panel discussions, storytime for kids, vendor tables, and resources/information on book bans.
Blue Willow Bookshop and BookPeople
Houston & Austin, TX
Along with the American Booksellers Association, the Association of American Publishers, the Authors Guild, and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Blue Willow Bookshop and BookPeople led a lawsuit in 2023 against a Texas law (“The READER Act”) which would have severely limited how books are sold to libraries and schools. They mobilized their community through social media and beyond to help ensure folks knew to speak out against the bill.
As readers, there are plenty of actions we can take to fight book bans, and these booksellers show us that getting involved makes a huge difference! To learn more about how to fight book bans in your area, visit our resource hub.