September 5, 2024, 2:27pm
Little Free Library has debuted a new interactive map on its website that charts the locations of Little Free Libraries across the United States, alongside the number of book bans that are in place in each state. The organization built the tool as a way to quickly find the nearest free library — those outdoor, bird-box-sized, give-a-book-take-a-book libraries — especially in the parts of the country most affected by Republican attempts to ban books and censure libraries and schools.
The map uses data from PEN America and ALA studies that have been tracking book bans and challenged titles across the US at the state and county levels. According to this map, Florida and Texas have the most book bans in public schools and libraries, with 2647 and 1,469 respectively. Thankfully the number of Little Free Libraries is higher in both states: Florida has 2886, and Texas has 2373. And congratulations to Vermont and Delaware for their clean bill of health: each have zero reported bans on books!
The map is part of Little Free Library’s clear-eyed condemnation of book bans:
Expanding access to books is at the heart of our mission, and the rise of book bans in America goes against our organization’s core values — especially when the bans overwhelmingly target BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors.
It’s worth scrolling around the map to find the little libraries near you — they’d make a great home for that stack of books you’ve been meaning to donate!