Book bans and challenges: September 19, 2025

Here's the latest news on book bans, challenges, and other literary obstacles — and efforts to fight back against them.

• Here's the shortlist for the 4thWrite Prize, which goes to unpublished writers of color who write short stories (The Guardian).

• Users reacted poorly to changes to library lending app Libby's hold system, reports Mashable, and the app's Instagram account is trying to clarify the changes (or, depending on how you see it, smooth things over).

• Librarians are increasingly being asked to help patrons find books that don't actually exist, except for in the minds ("minds"?) of artificial intelligence models (404 Media).

• Kelly Jensen opens her weekly roundup of news on book bans and challenges with the reminder that incarcerated people are hugely vulnerable to such issues (Book Riot).

• Katie McLain Horner also highlights recent book bans and challenges, specific to how they have affected, are affecting, and will continue to affect libraries and librarians (Book Riot).