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<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: Buzzy Nielsen
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in">Program Manager for Library Support & Development<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in"><a href="mailto:buzzy.nielsen@slo.oregon.gov">buzzy.nielsen@slo.oregon.gov</a>, 971-375-3486<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">October 2, 2025<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Salem, Ore –</i> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Since 1987, the State Library has been collecting information about intellectual freedom challenges at libraries and
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">education institutions in Oregon. A challenge is any attempt to remove or limit access to a material, service, or
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">program because a person or group objects to it. This information is available now in the latest report of the
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://slo.oregon.gov/oifc/"><b>Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse</b></a> (OIFC).
<br>
<br>
The <a href="https://slo.oregon.gov/ld.php?content_id=82461057"><b>2025 OIFC Annual Report</b></a> lists 50 official challenge incidents in public libraries, special libraries, and schools. The
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">number of challenges is tied with 2001 as the fifth highest reported since the State Library began keeping track. The
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">incidents included challenges to 66 unique titles and 68 items, the fourth highest number since 1987.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon’s high numbers match national trends. The American Library Association (ALA)
<a href="https://www.ala.org/news/2025/04/american-library-association-kicks-national-library-week-top-10-most-challenged-books">
<b>reported</b></a> that 2024 had the third <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">highest attempts to censor library materials since they began collecting statistics in 1990. OIFC data is reported to ALA
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and compiled in their national statistics.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In a new trend for Oregon, 60% of challenged items were hidden or vandalized, rather than going through official channels.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That amount compares to 40% last year. Common reasons people shared for challenging the remaining items were that
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">they felt the materials contained:<o:p></o:p></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">Inappropriate sex or nudity.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">Content about people who are two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, or other
<o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">identities related to sexual orientation or gender identity (2SLGBTQIA+).<o:p></o:p></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">Unsuitability to the material’s target age group.<o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While most challenges were to materials, 14% of official challenges were focused on library programs, displays, or entire
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">content areas. These incidents included antisemitic graffiti, a challenge to all 2SLGBTQIA+ books, objection to a book club
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">selection, and a request to remove books exhibiting transphobia from an office display.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The pattern is clear: most challenges target stories about people in underrepresented protected classes. In 2024–25, 76%
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">of challenged items told the stories of or featured 2SLGBTQIA+ people, Black, Indigenous, or other people of color. Two challenge
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">incidents involved staff who chose not to select materials with 2SLGBTQIA+ content.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The disproportionate impact of challenges on protected classes led to the Oregon State Legislature to pass
<a href="https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/SB1098">
<b>Senate Bill 1098</b></a> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">in the 2025 session. The bill prohibits discrimination against protected classes when selecting or retaining school instructional,
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">curricular, or library materials. Oregon joined Colorado, Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island in passing “Freedom to Read”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">/anti-book ban bills in 2025.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“During these hard times, when libraries are facing threats to funding and library staff are facing threats to their livelihood, we will
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">continue to support libraries, and their staff, to protect the freedom to read,” says Wendy Cornelisen, State Librarian.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Libraries experiencing intellectual freedom challenges in Oregon are also supported by the Oregon Library Association (OLA) and the
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">ALA. Volunteers on OLA’s <a href="https://www.olaweb.org/intellectual-freedom-committee-home">
<b>Intellectual Freedom Committee</b></a> advise libraries and schools during challenges. ALA’s
<a href="https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/oif"><b>Office of Intellectual Freedom</b></a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">provides resources and consulting to help libraries prepare for and manage attempts at censorship. The State Library of Oregon relies
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">on the expertise of both groups in its work on the OIFC.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To learn more about the Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse and challenges in Oregon libraries, please visit the OIFC website
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">at <a href="https://slo.oregon.gov/oifc/"><b>https://slo.oregon.gov/oifc/</b></a><b>
</b>or contact Buzzy Nielsen, Program Manager for Library Support, at <a href="mailto:buzzy.nielsen@slo.oregon.gov">
<b>buzzy.nielsen@slo.oregon.gov</b></a> or 971-375-3486.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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