In an increasingly divisive political sphere, Becka Robbins focuses on what she knows best 害羞草研究所� books.

Operating out of a tiny room in Fabulosa Books in San Francisco害羞草研究所檚 Castro District, one of the oldest gay neighborhoods in the United States, Robbins uses donations from customers to ship boxes of books across the country to groups that want them.

In an effort she calls 害羞草研究所淏ooks Not Bans,害羞草研究所� she sends titles about queer history, sexuality, romance and more 害羞草研究所� many of which are increasingly hard to come by in the face of a rapidly growing movement by conservative advocacy groups and lawmakers to ban them from public schools and libraries.

害羞草研究所淭he book bans are awful, the attempt at erasure,害羞草研究所� Robbins said. She asked herself how she could get these books into the hands of the people who need them the most.

Beginning last May, she started raising money and looking for recipients. Her books have gone to places like a pride center in west Texas and an LGBTQ-friendly high school in Alabama.

Customers are especially enthusiastic about helping Robbins send books to states like Florida, Texas and Oklahoma, often writing notes of support to include in the packages. Over 40% of all book bans from July 2022 to June 2023 were in Florida, more than any other state. Behind Florida are Texas and Missouri, according to a report by PEN America, a nonprofit literature advocacy group.

Book bans and attempted bans have been hitting record highs, according to the American Library Association. And the efforts now extend as much to public libraries as school-based libraries. Because the totals are based on media accounts and reports submitted by librarians, the association regards its numbers as snapshots, with many bans left unrecorded.

PEN America害羞草研究所檚 report said 30% of the bans include characters of color or discuss race and racism, and 30% have LGBTQ+ characters or themes.

The most sweeping challenges often originate with conservative organizations, such as Moms for Liberty, which has organized banning efforts nationwide and called for more parental control over books available to children.

Moms for Liberty is not anti-LGBTQ+, co-founder Tiffany Justice has told The Associated Press. But about 38% of book challenges that 害羞草研究所渄irectly originated害羞草研究所� from the group have LGBTQ+ themes, according to the library association害羞草研究所檚 Office for Intellectual Freedom. Justice said Moms for Liberty challenges books that are sexually explicit, not because they cover LGBTQ+ topics.

Among those topping banned lists have been Maia Kobabe害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淕ender Queer,害羞草研究所� George Johnson害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淎ll Boys Aren害羞草研究所檛 Blue害羞草研究所� and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淭he Bluest Eye.害羞草研究所�

Robbins said it害羞草研究所檚 more important than ever to makes these kinds of books available to everyone.

害羞草研究所淔iction teaches us how to dream,害羞草研究所� Robbins said. 害羞草研究所淚t teaches us how to connect with people who are not like ourselves, it teaches us how to listen and emphasize.害羞草研究所�

She害羞草研究所檚 sent 740 books so far, with each box worth $300 to $400, depending on the titles.

At the new Rose Dynasty Center in Lakeland, Florida, the books donated by Fabulosa are already on the shelves, said Jason DeShazo, a drag queen known as Momma Ashley Rose who runs the LGBTQ+ community center.

DeShazo is a family-friendly drag performer and has long hosted drag story times to promote literacy. He uses puppets to address themes of being kind, dealing with bullies and giving back to the community.

DeShazo hopes to provide a safe space for events, support groups, and health clinics, and build a library of banned books.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think a person of color should have to search so hard for an amazing book about history of what our Black community has gone through,害羞草研究所� DeShazo said. 害羞草研究所淥r for someone who is queer to find a book that represents them.害羞草研究所�

Robbins害羞草研究所� favorite books to send are youth adult queer romances, a rapidly growing genre as conversations about LGBTQ+ issues have become much more mainstream than a decade ago.

害羞草研究所淭he characters are just like regular kids 害羞草研究所� regular people who are also queer, but they also get to fall in love and be happy,害羞草研究所� Robbins said.

Jaimie Ding And Haven Daley, The Associated Press