Alabamians challenged more than 100 books in public libraries statewide last year, according to a public library service survey.

In early January, the Alabama Public Library Service asked libraries “Since April 1, 2023, how many formal reconsideration forms/book challenges have been filed at your library?” According to the service, eight out of 95 respondents reported receiving complaints about 116 books. There are 220 public libraries in Alabama.

This list contains books that were formally challenged in individual libraries. In December, the APLS released a statewide list of books flagged for potentially inappropriate content, but those books were not necessarily in libraries.

“I think that shows most libraries do not consider this to be a problem to the extent we sometimes hear,” APLS board president Ronald Snider said at January’s executive board meeting. The APLS board reported 121 book challenges. However, several books had multiple reconsideration forms filed against them at the same library.

Approximately 74 percent of the books have LGBTQ characters or themes.

Autauga-Prattville residents challenged 48 books, the most out of any library statewide. The movement to challenge books, primarily with LGBTQ content, ramped up in Prattville and spread to counties across Alabama by groups like Clean Up Alabama and Moms for Liberty. Clean Up Alabama’s list of inappropriate books contains 44 of these titles. The future of these books is uncertain after the library board banned LGBTQ books for minors.

AL.com gathered the challenged book lists from seven of the eight libraries that reported to the APLS, including Autauga-Prattville, Gadsden, Dothan Houston, Mobile, Scottsboro, Ozark, and North Shelby. AL.com was unable to obtain Lexington Public Library’s list of challenged books.

The database AL.com created is at the end of the story and includes challenged books from the Foley Public Library, which didn’t respond to the survey because the library was transitioning to a new director, according to David Thompson, executive director of leisure services at Foley Sports Tourism.

Each library’s list is different, with only a handful of books appearing on multiple lists, including Sarah J. Maas’ “A Court Of Thorns and Roses” series for its depictions of sex and violence and Anna-Marie McLemore’s “The Mirror Season” for its LGBTQ characters and descriptions of sexual assault.

“Looking For Alaska” has been challenged in three different libraries, the most out of any of the challenged books in Alabama. The 2005 novel by John Green is about a student who transfers from Florida to a fictional Alabama prep school. Concerns about the book include its depictions of death and sexual content.

Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer” appeared on challenge lists in Dothan and Foley.

Both libraries initially placed the book in the adult section. However, Foley removed the book from the library altogether. Foley Leisure Services director David Thompson said someone posted the book’s visual depiction of a sex act on one of the library’s social media pages, which prompted the removal.

“We want to make sure that we have the proper subject matter in the proper areas and and really that’s our goal,” Thompson said.

Dothan created a “limited access” list for books that visually depict sexual activity. “Gender Queer” is the only challenged book from last year that fits that description. PEN America noted that Kobabe’s visual memoir is one of the most banned books in America.