Overview

• The 43rd annual observance will carry the theme “Censorship is so 1984. Read for Your Rights,” with Let Freedom Read Day set for Oct. 11 to spur individual anti-censorship actions.
• Takei said he will use the platform to raise awareness about bans, calling books an essential foundation of democracy that build an informed and empathetic public.
• He linked his stance to personal experiences, citing childhood incarceration in a U.S. internment camp and growing up closeted as reasons access to books matters.
• Youth honorary chair Iris Mogul, a student activist who founded a banned books club, will help lead outreach to young readers.
• ALA and PEN America report a surge in challenges in recent years, with ALA noting that 72 percent in 2024 came from organized groups or government entities, as libraries and bookstores prepare events highlighting frequently targeted titles such as Gender Queer and The Bluest Eye.