As book bans hit record levels across the country, Illinois is quietly doing something very different. While other states are yanking titles out of schools and libraries, Illinois has a law that ties state library grant money to one clear condition: you only get the cash if you refuse to ban books for ideological reasons.
The state’s 2023 statute links library funding to adopting the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights or a similar written policy. That setup gives local libraries a budget-based reason to push back when residents or activists demand removals, which is why Illinois now stands out while districts elsewhere keep clearing shelves.
In a report released last week, PEN America found that 3,743 unique titles were banned from U.S. public schools during the 2024–25 school year and documented more than 1,100 educational or nonfiction titles among those removals. The group reported that 44% of banned titles featured characters or people of color and 39% featured LGBTQ+ characters, the highest shares it has recorded so far in those categories. Taken together, the numbers point to a broad national campaign that is reaching beyond novels and deep into classroom resources.
Local coverage has highlighted how Illinois has charted another course. As reported by Axios Chicago, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the measure in 2023, and state officials say libraries remain eligible for state grants only if they adopt the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights or an equivalent anti-ban policy. Supporters argue that those grant rules act as a practical check on bans that many other states simply do not have.
How the Law Works
House Bill 2789, enacted as Public Act 103‑0100, directs the Illinois State Librarian and the Illinois State Library to adopt the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights or to require a similar written policy. That requirement is then tied to eligibility for many state grant programs. The Secretary of State’s office, which oversees the library grants program, has said the law took effect on Jan. 1, 2024, and has described it as a tool to protect librarians from harassment and to preserve open collections.
The office has also noted that Illinois awards tens of millions of dollars in library grants, with most of that money going to public and school libraries. A summary of the administration’s rationale for the statute appears in a release from the Illinois Secretary of State.
Voices from Libraries and Critics
Library advocates and the American Library Association welcomed the law when it passed. Tracie Hall, then executive director of the Chicago-based ALA, called the bill a historic defense against censorship, and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said it responded to coordinated harassment of library staff, according to NPR Illinois.
Opponents in the Legislature pushed back, warning that the measure could weaken local control and raising hypothetical scenarios about unintended consequences during floor debate. Those concerns helped define the political battle lines even as the bill moved forward.
Nonfiction on the Chopping Block
PEN America reports that nonfiction titles made up a growing share of removals in 2024–25, roughly 29% of unique banned titles. The organization tracked more than 1,100 nonfiction and educational books targeted in that year alone and warned that taking textbooks, biographies and other informational resources out of circulation represents a new phase of the movement, one with direct consequences for classroom instruction.
That shift helps explain why Illinois wrote its law around funding and open-access policies. Supporters argue that the statute is meant to protect not only stories but also factual materials that students rely on in class.
Legal and Local Stakes
Courtroom fights or administrative appeals could be next if the state ever moves to withhold funds from a library or district. During debate, critics argued that the law could invite second guessing of local collection decisions. Supporters countered that the statute simply prevents removals carried out for “partisan or doctrinal disapproval,” a phrase its sponsors used in public remarks covered by NPR Illinois.
How Illinois administrators translate the law into detailed grant rules will determine whether the measure functions mostly as a statement of values or as a real enforcement tool. For now, the bottom line is straightforward. Illinois has a statewide funding rule that gives library leaders both fiscal and legal cover to defend their collections, while PEN America data show that national pressure to remove books is still climbing. The next chapter will depend on how the state writes its rules and whether other states decide to borrow the same playbook for their own classrooms and public libraries.
