Two years ago, Brooklyn Public Library launched Books Unbanned, an initiative to fight unprecedented levels of censorship by offering a free digital-access library card for young people across the U.S.
The Seattle Public Library joined the effort one year ago. During that time, the two libraries have have received thousands of compelling stories from teens and young adults about why they were signing up for the card.
Today, the two libraries released a new report, “In Their Own Words: Youth Voices on Books Unbanned,” which shares what we’ve learned from these stories about the devastating impact of censorship and how restrictions and other barriers to access build upon and reinforce each other. It’s a unique chance to hear directly from the youth who are most affected and how programs like Books Unbanned are providing joy, representation and escape for a new generation of readers.
“In Their Own Words” analyzes 855 stories shared by young people, ages 13 to 26, who signed up for a free Books Unbanned e-card from either BPL or SPL from April 2022 through December 2023. University of Washington Information School graduate students categorized and tagged the stories to identify common themes.
A key theme uncovered in the analysis was how formal acts of censorship, bans, challenges and restrictions to reading material can create a climate of fear and intimidation for young people. Cardholders also mentioned the impact of more “hidden” forms of censorship — self-censorship, soft or “quiet” censorship (pre-emptively restricting access as a means to avoid controversy), or the threat of future censorship — in affecting their freedom to read.
Young people told stories of librarians commenting on their checkouts, of books being locked up and unavailable, and of small, limited collections not containing the kinds of books they would most like to read.
Some cardholders reported the lack of access to representative materials, especially for LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual) and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) cardholders, and how it exacerbated feelings of isolation and the sense that their identities are under attack. For these young people, digital access to books is essential to the ability to read freely.
While books are often challenged because of misplaced concerns around harm to young people, the youth featured in this report told a very different story – that the real harm is caused by censorship and limiting access to books that mirror their experiences and expand their understanding of the world.
Another highlighted theme was the impact of barriers beyond censorship and restrictions, including limited collections, transportation and distance issues, lack of accessibility, and sometimes lack of any library at all.
The analysis included stories from more than 200 renewing cardholders, many of whom expressed the hope and joy that having access to books and information provides. They told of finding representation, of being able to access educational materials, and of opening up “my views of the world,” as a 24-year-old in California wrote.
The report concluded with an urgent call to pay attention to young people’s voices on why the freedom to read is essential, writing that, “The rising numbers of book bans and challenges serve as a clear warning sign of what we stand to lose if censorship is left unchallenged. The voices of these young readers are showing us what has already been lost.”
Or, as an 18-year-old Books Unbanned cardholder from California wrote: “In my opinion, the freedom to read is directly correlated with the freedom to think, and should never be denied anybody.”
In March 2024, The American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom reported that 2023 saw a record number of efforts to censor library books and resources, with more than 4,200 unique titles targeted for censorship, a 65% increase compared to 2022.
Find out more about Books Unbanned programs at www.booksunbanned.com.
What can you do to support the freedom to read?
- You can share Books Unbanned with a young person in your life, and encourage them to read widely.
- You can donate to support Books Unbanned at SPL but donating to The Seattle Public Library Foundation’s Equity and Access Fund, which funds Books Unbanned.
- Support your local libraries by voting for levies and funding that support libraries and educational opportunities for youth in your community, pushing back against attempts to restrict access to books, and advocating for a strong school library in your community.
- If you’re a parent, you can support your children’s reading based on their interests, leverage the knowledge of librarians to help you find age-appropriate materials about difficult topics, and actively support your local school and public libraries.
- You can read widely yourself and encourage others to do the same.
About Books Unbanned
Books Unbanned was started by Brooklyn Public Library in April 2022 to protect the right to read and fight censorship by offering a free library card for teens and young adults around the nation. Their card provides access to its entire digital collection of e-books and e-audiobooks for youth 13 to 21.
The Seattle Public Library joined Books Unbanned card in April 2023 by offering a free e-card for teens and young adults ages 13 to 26 across the U.S., which allows access to its digital collections. SPL’s Books Unbanned program is privately funded by The Seattle Public Library Foundation.
More than 14,000 young people had signed up for Books Unbanned programs at the two libraries through February 2024, collectively checking out over 340,000 books. Books Unbanned cardholders have signed up from every state in the nation, as well as D.C., Guam and Puerto Rico.
Three more public libraries have joined the Books Unbanned initiative, including Boston Public Library, San Diego Public Library and LA County Public Library. You can see updates on the program at www.BooksUnbanned.com.
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