VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Advocates are sounding the alarm when it comes to book restrictions around the country and in Virginia's Commonwealth.
According to the American Library Association, this year marks one of the biggest surges of challenges to library books seen in recent years.
In Virginia, there have been 14 attempts to remove or otherwise restrict books from sitting on library shelves. Within the attempts, more than 350 different books were the targets for removal.
That's almost twice the amount of books reported in 2022.
"We are second only in comparison to Texas in that regard," said Breanna Diaz, with Virginia's American Civil Liberties Union. "It's a wakeup call that we all need to be aware of."
The numbers come from both school divisions and public libraries across the state. Approximately 90% of the challenges, according to the preliminary findings, show the challenges are centered around multiple titles.
It's a marked difference in comparison to years past, where parents or concerned citizens would challenge a specific title found in a local library.
"Virginia is part of a national effort to remove or target certain books, classrooms and public libraries," said Diaz. "It shows a concentrated effort to get this done."
The increase in numbers is part of a national trend, but Diaz claimed the path is made easier due to a new Virginia law passed in 2022.
Senate Bill 656 requires schools to get permission from parents before school leaders can share books with students that are considered to have "sexually explicit content."
"By labeling books 'sexually explicit content - that raises that book to new levels of scrutiny that makes it a target for removal altogether from curriculum," said Diaz. "It's not just about opt out, it's about complete removal, and it sets the stage."
While not banned, several book titles that are often found on these lists include "To Kill a Mockingbird," "1984," and "The Diary of Anne Frank."
Leaders with the American Library Association found nearly 2,000 different titles are challenged across the nation. It's a 20% increase from 2022.