‘Knowledge is power’
Local librarians share insight on banned book week
New Ulm Public Library Director April Ide holds the commonly challenged book "1984" next to the banned books display. Photo by Dylan Jackson
Banned books display, featuring Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl" at Lykke Books. Photo by Dylan Jackson
New Ulm Public Library Director April Ide holds the commonly challenged book "1984" next to the banned books display. Photo by Dylan Jackson
Banned books display, featuring Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl" at Lykke Books. Photo by Dylan Jackson
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NEW ULM -- According to the American Library Association (ALA), 92% of all book challenges in 2025 were initiated by pressure groups, government officials and decision makers -- which is up from 72% in 2024.
The ALA has established Oct. 4-10 as banned book week.
The director of the New Ulm Public Library, April Ide, said that book banning imposes on an individual’s right to knowledge.
"Libraries are all about protecting intellectual freedom and everyone's right to read and choose their own material and access to information," Ide said.
The ALA listed the following 11 titles as the most commonly challenged books of 2025: "Sold" by Patricia McCormick, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, "Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe, "Empire of Storms" by Sarah J. Maas, "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" by Malinda Lo, "Tricks" by Ellen Hopkins, "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas, "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess, "Identical" by Ellen Hopkins, "Looking for Alaska" by John Green, "Storm and Fury" by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
Many of these titles are housed at the New Ulm Public Library, and all of them can be obtained via interlibrary loan. Of the five top challenged books, four of them are currently checked out in some form from the library.
Oftentimes the most challenged books are also very popular, according to Ide.
"All the titles are familiar to me," Ide said. "Sarah J. Maas is a popular author in general."
Maas' "A Court of Thorns and Roses" is a popular fantasy novel commonly challenged for its sexual content and other explicit themes challengers deem inappropriate for children.
"If families want to limit the things that their kids are reading, we respect [that] but that's an individual choice for them to make," Ide said.
For New Ulm Public Library, book challenges are uncommon. They have not dealt with a book being challenged since 2018.
According to the ALA, 40% of the books challenged in 2025 featured the lived experiences of people of color and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Historically, literature about marginalized communities are commonly challenged. Book challengers often target Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl."
Brown County Historical Society Research Librarian Darla Gebhard said that literature is essential to learning from history.
"If you can't go back and look at history, how can you not repeat history?" Gebhard said.
As a research librarian, Gebhard believes in having every source available to examine.
"If you have a mind, you read, you learn, and you make your own opinions. People should not fear somebody reading something and then forming their own opinion," Gebhard said. "Knowledge is power, and why shouldn't everybody have access to that."
Another commonly challenged book told from a young perspective, "The Catcher in the Rye," happens to be one of Ide's favorites.
"It’s a perennial on the banned books list. Part of this is because it ends up on school curriculum” Ide said. "I just like how it captures the mind of the teenage protagonist and the struggles he's facing."
Students benefit from feeling represented by characters in literature.
Library Director of Martin Luther College Linda Kramer said that even if these characters represent perspectives that differ from an individual’s beliefs, their stories are important to be available to everyone.
"Well even if people disagree with a viewpoint, it's good to know what that viewpoint is and to be able to investigate and to learn about various sides of an issue so we can make informed decisions," Kramer said.
MLC has not had any issues with book challenges for the 13 years Kramer has been with the college.
Martin Luther College and the New Ulm Public Library both had banned book displays, along with Lykke books.
Although the public library had a display, Ide said they combat book challenges every day.
"It is part of our everyday operations to make sure that we are offering that access to our patrons," Ide said.