ALA ANNOUNCES MOST BANNED & CHALLENGED BOOKS (FIND OUT WHAT THEY WERE)

The American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (OiF) has published its annual list of the most frequently challenged books.

First, let's explain what they mean by "challenged":

A "challenge" is defined as a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school, requesting that materials be removed or restricted because of content or appropriateness.

During 2009, the Office of Intellectual Freedom received 460 reports, “on efforts to remove or restrict materials from school curricula and library bookshelves.” OiF receives reports from many sources but most challenges are not reported. They estimate that their statistics reflect only 20-25 percent of challenges that actually take place in a public libraries, school’s and school libraries.

See what the banned books were after the jump...

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VIA TIME: THE MOST BANNED BOOKS OF ALL TIME

Since 1982, the American Library Association has sponsored Banned Books Week to pay tribute to free speech and open libraries. The tradition began as a nod to how far society has come since 1557, when Pope Paul IV first established The Index of Prohibited Books to protect Catholics from controversial ideas. Four-hundred and nine years later, Pope Paul VI would abolish it, although attempts at censorship still remain. TIME presents some of the most challenged books of all time.

To read the list, click HERE.

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