Free events and programs are happening at San Diego Public Library (SDPL) locations to celebrate Banned Books Week this week through Saturday, Oct. 10. This year’s theme is “Let books be. Protect the freedom to read.”

Each year, the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) at the American Library Association (ALA) documents censorship attempts made at public, school and academic libraries. In 2025, there were 4,235 unique titles challenged — just five titles short of the all-time high set in 2023 — with 92% of challenges initiated by pressure groups, government officials and decision makers.

“The overwhelming majority of people recognize the importance of literary freedom,” said Library Director Misty Jones. “Unimpeded access to books, information and educational material that encourage innovative thinking and challenge our points of view remains integral to the mission of the San Diego Public Library.”

Events celebrating Banned Books Week aim to raise awareness of censorship attempts and encourage accessible information and literature. The final day of Banned Books Week is Saturday, Oct. 10, known as Let Freedom Read Day, and is a call to action for readers to take one step toward fighting censorship.

While Banned Books Week is celebrated one week each fall, SDPL also offers Books Unbanned: a free, year-round program funded by the Library Foundation SD. Books Unbanned provides teens and young adults nationwide full access to SDPL’s online collection of banned or restricted eBooks and eAudiobooks through cloudLibrary.

Visit the SDPL Banned Books Week webpage to find all featured events, challenged books lists, statistics and more.

About the San Diego Public Library

With a vision of being the place for opportunity, discovery and inspiration, the San Diego Public Library is a hub for knowledge and lifelong learning. As the largest library system in the region, it serves a population of more than 1.4 million. Learn about events at the San Diego Central Library @ Joan Λ Irwin Jacobs Common and 36 community branch libraries, find links to programs and resources or search for materials in the online catalog at SanDiegoLibrary.org.