The American Library Association announced Thursday that the number of books challenged in libraries across the U.S. spiked 65% in 2023 over the previous year, reaching the highest level ever documented by the nonprofit organization.

In a new report, the association says that 4,240 individual book titles were targeted for removal from schools and public libraries — a sharp increase from the previous high of 2,571 in 2022.

“The reports from librarians and educators in the field make it clear that the organized campaigns to ban books aren’t over, and that we must all stand together to preserve our right to choose what we read,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.

The American Library Association’s report found that nearly half of the book titles targeted for censorship dealt with “the voices and lived experiences” of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color.

In recent years, school districts and state legislatures nationwide have been roiled by fierce, politicized debates over what reading materials are appropriate for kids and teenagers. The efforts to restrict or withdraw books have been driven in part by conservative activist groups such as Moms for Liberty as well as Republican politicians.